Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Monday said that Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s statement seems like the Western countries are encouraging the BNP as they are doing to Israel, but in reality, none support the BNP's caretaker government demand.

“The stand of the Western countries is clear, they back Israel... On one side, the Western countries are encouraging Israel which is involved in crimes against humanity, on the other side, Mirza Fakhrul is saying they (western countries) are supporting them also. But the BNP has no support from anyone for its movement,” he said.

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The minister said this while exchanging views with media personnel about contemporary affairs at the secretariat.

Implying the BNP's abroad dependency, the Information Minister said BNP has no faith in the people. “That’s why instead of looking at the people, the BNP now looks at who said what from a faraway country like a crow.”

Responding to a query regarding foreign recommendations on dialogue ahead of the election, Hasan Mahmud said, “People are the owners of the power…They will decide who will run the country and who won’t.”

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Anyone from the friendly-countries can recommend anything, but what people want is the most important thing, he added.

Hasan Mahmud said that according to the constitution, there is no need or obligation to form an election-time government. “The running government will act as the election-time government.

Asked about the BNP's silence on the Palestine issue, the minister said: “Israel is killing the Palestinians…But the BNP is silent about this crime against humanity.”

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“A big power might be unhappy, so by remaining silent, the BNP has actually sided with this barbarism, brutality, war crimes and, Israel.”