BNP's movement has no public support: Hasan Mahmud

Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Monday said Mirza Fakhrul's statement seems like the Western countries are encouraging the BNP as they are doing to Israel, but in reality, no one supports their caretaker government demand.

"The stance of Western countries is clear, they are backing Israel... On one side, they are encouraging Israel, which is involved in crimes against humanity. On the other side, Mirza Fakhrul is saying they [western countries] are supporting them. But the BNP has no support from anyone for its movement," he said while exchanging views with media personnel about contemporary affairs at the secretariat.

Implying the BNP's dependency on foreigners, the minister said the BNP has no faith in 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 elections, Hasan Mahmud said, "People own the power…They will decide who will run the country and who won't."

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

Hasan Mahmud said 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 Palestine's conflict, the minister said, "Israel is killing the Palestinians…But the BNP is silent about this crime against humanity."

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