Govt hacking opposition leaders’ phones using spyware

The government has been hacking the smartphones of the opposition leaders by using a spyware called "Pegasus", alleged BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a discussion yesterday, he also accused the Awami League government of trying to depoliticise Bangladesh by using the state apparatus and holding the next polls without the participation of the opposition parties.

"The telephone (cellphone) in your pocket is now your worst enemy," the BNP leader said, warning the opposition leaders and activists.

The "Pegasus" spyware helps the regime collect any person's telephonic conversations, SMS, and other documents on their cellphones, he added.

"This can't happen in any democratic county...my privacy, politics, and democracy are my rights," Fakhrul said

National People's Party (NPP) arranged the programme at Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) marking its 16th founding anniversary.

Fakhrul alleged that the government has started implementing its various plots by using the state machinery as it did in the past to remove the opposition parties from the election field.

The telephone (cellphone) in your pocket is now your (opposition leaders and activists) worst enemy.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir BNP Secretary General

 To remove the opposition parties from the election field, the law and the home ministries have sent letters to police and judges to ensure prompt trials of the political cases filed since 2013 and dispose of those by two months, Fakhrul alleged.

The BNP leader said there is no point in making any compromise with the current government as it will again fool people.

 "There can be some discussions as per the democratic norms, but with whom will we discuss? The government doesn't believe in democracy and the rights of others."

He said most of the democratic political parties are now united in one thing, that the next election must be held under a non-party neutral government and the current regime must quit.