Amid controversy over participating in an anti-narcotics operation while carrying a firearm, media reports have claimed that State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain has been instructed to resign from the cabinet.
However, State Minister Ishraque has said, “I request everyone not to pay attention to rumors.”
Citing sources, media reports state that on Sunday (October 18) afternoon, after the cabinet meeting at the Secretariat, the Prime Minister summoned Ishraque and ordered him to resign. The reports also noted that no formal statement has been received from any responsible government official on the matter.
Regarding this, Ishraque Hossain said at night, “I request everyone to treat this matter as a rumor. There is no truth to it so far. If our party takes any such decision, you will be informed.”
Shortly afterward, Ishraque Hossain’s press officer Mahfuz Kabir Mukta issued a statement titled “Protest against the false and misleading news regarding the resignation of State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain published in the media.” The statement said that the news circulating in various media outlets and social media claiming that Ishraque Hossain has “resigned” or that “he has been ordered to resign” is completely false, baseless, fabricated, and motivated.
It further stated that the actual truth is that Ishraque is performing his governmental and political responsibilities with great dedication and reputation. No directive to resign has been given to him from the higher levels of the government, and there is no question of his resignation. A certain quarter is spreading such imaginary and false information with the aim of achieving political objectives and creating confusion among the public.
Mentioning that the State Minister had already clarified his position regarding the incident that occurred on Saturday in his parliamentary constituency during an anti-narcotics social resistance program, where he displayed a weapon only for self-defense in a lawful manner, the statement said that spreading any news about his resignation centered on this incident is completely illegal and against the principles of journalism. We humbly request all concerned media outlets and the people of the country not to be misled by such false propaganda.
At the same time, the statement called on the media outlets that published this misleading news to immediately withdraw it and present the correct information. Otherwise, legal action will be taken against the “propagators,” it added.
Ishraque Declares Continuation of the Operation
Meanwhile, around 8:15 pm, the State Minister Ishraque posted on his verified Facebook account about the incident. This time, he announced that he would destroy drug dens with bamboo sticks. While criticizing some media outlets for their coverage of the anti-narcotics operation, he said that all drug dens would be razed to the ground.
In the Facebook post, Ishraque Hossain further wrote, “Some renowned media outlets have the capacity to get clear explanations of legal provisions through their renowned lawyer panels, and I believe they do so. Yet, seeing the nature of their news, it seems they were exclusive suppliers of drugs in the den. That’s why they are behaving like wild animals after my operation. Wait and see. All drug dens (which perhaps finance these papers) will be mixed with the soil.”
Mentioning that he had a legally licensed weapon for his personal security, he further wrote, “I had a legally licensed weapon for my personal security. From now on, I will destroy these dens with bamboo sticks. The police will stand and watch, and will arrest them in front of the magistrate and take them away. The 16 arts of the anti-narcotics struggle will be fulfilled, InshaAllah.”
Earlier, on Saturday (October 17), Ishraque participated in an anti-narcotics operation in the area adjacent to the railway line in Gendaria in the capital. In a video published on his Facebook page, he was seen chasing several people with a handheld microphone in one hand and a pistol in the other. At one point, he pulled the slide of the pistol, pointed the weapon, and ordered them to stop. Other people accompanying him were also seen carrying weapons.
After the video became public, discussions began over whether a personal firearm license allows displaying a weapon in this manner, and whether a public representative can personally conduct an anti-narcotics operation while carrying a weapon.
On Sunday, Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police (DB) Md. Shafiqul Islam told journalists that the concerned DC has been instructed to observe and review the incident locally and submit a report. If there is any violation of the law, the police will take action according to the law.
In his statement, however, State Minister Ishraque claimed that while participating in the anti-narcotics social resistance programme, 30 to 35 people approached their convoy in an aggressive manner. To prevent a possible attack, he and his security personnel temporarily raised their weapons.
Ishraque claimed that with the assistance of the local police station, four to five drug dens were evicted, drugs and weapons were recovered, and six people were detained and handed over to the police.