Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman has said that former State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain may have acted with good intentions while carrying a firearm during an anti-drug operation in Dhaka. However, he cautioned that such conduct could set a dangerous example for others.
Shafiqur made the remarks on Tuesday while responding to questions from journalists following a conference of former party associates and members organised by Jamaat-e-Islami’s Chattogram city unit at the GEC Convention Centre in Chattogram.
“There is no scope for anyone to describe his actions negatively,” Shafiqur said, suggesting that Ishraque might have had good intentions. He added, however, that when an elected representative and a state minister carries a firearm in public or points it at someone, others could use the incident as a precedent for acting with harmful intentions.
From the perspective of public conduct, Shafiqur said, the decision to carry a firearm was the only aspect that warranted criticism, while expressing no other objection to Ishraque’s actions.
Ishraque recently came under scrutiny after participating in an anti-drug operation in the Gandaria area of the capital on Saturday while carrying a firearm. The incident sparked controversy and was followed by his resignation from the post of State Minister for Liberation War Affairs.
Ishraque said he resigned at the direction of the Prime Minister to prevent the BNP and the government from facing an embarrassing situation. Despite stepping down, he maintained that he had committed no wrongdoing during the operation.
Commenting on the resignation, Shafiqur described it as an internal decision of the BNP. He said the party had subsequently announced that the Prime Minister wanted Ishraque to resign.
Acknowledging the seriousness of the drug problem, Shafiqur noted that drugs were causing significant harm to society. He also referred to Ishraque’s statement that police and other law enforcement personnel had been present during the operation.
“It would have been better if he had not been carrying a firearm. That is all,” Shafiqur said.
Asked about the police’s role in the incident, the Jamaat Ameer declined to elaborate, saying Ishraque had already addressed the matter on his behalf.