Bangladesh: Lebanon attacks 'state terrorism'

Bangladesh's foreign minister on Thursday condemned Israel's attacks on Lebanon. M. Morshed Khan also urged Western countries to take a strong stand "to restrain Israel" from such attacks and said many Western countries use a double standard in dealing with the Middle East. "They (Western countries) condemn other forms of terrorism, but they do not do the same thing with Israel," Khan said. Muslim-majority Bangladesh supports the establishment of independent Palestinian state. It has no diplomatic or business relations with Israel. Khan said his government is in contact with the International Organization of Migration, or IOM, to evacuate Bangladeshis from Lebanon. However, he said many of about 10,000 Bangladeshis, mostly expatriate workers, do not want to leave Lebanon now. "We will evacuate those who want to come back," though some are leaving on their own, he said.