A senior leader of the ruling Awami League of Bangladesh claimed that BNP  has secret ties with Israel and its intelligence agency.

"The meeting between a representative of the Israeli intelligence agency and a senior BNP leader was exposed to the media. BNP is always involved in such anti-state activities,"  Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said in a statement as quoted by The Daily Star.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has made a false statement about the use of Israeli technology to hack the phones of opposition leaders.

Such an irresponsible statement, delivered by a political leader, is very shameful, he said.

Recalling Bangladesh's historic relations with Palestine, he said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had invited Yasser Arafat, the then president of Palestine, during the celebration of the silver jubilee of Bangladesh's independence.

Quader said Fakhrul could not present any specific evidence about phone hacking and that is why it is illegal to make sweeping comments on such a sensitive issue without any evidence.

He said Fakhrul's concocted statement is nothing but the continuation of their ongoing propaganda and rumour.

The Bangladeshi leader made the remarks at a time when the country is slowly gearing up for the upcoming general elections.