State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraq Hossain has announced his resignation following widespread criticism over his participation in an anti-drug operation in Dhaka while carrying a firearm, raising questions about accountability and the use of weapons by public representatives.
At a press conference at the National Press Club on Monday, Ishraq said he had sought voluntary release from his ministerial responsibilities after speaking to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
He said he did not want the controversy to embarrass the prime minister, the government or the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
“I do not want my party, the BNP, and the prime minister to be embarrassed by my actions. That is why I have announced my resignation,” he said.
His announcement followed reports on Sunday that the prime minister had instructed him to resign.
Several high-level government sources said Tarique summoned Ishraq after the cabinet meeting at the Secretariat that afternoon and directed him to step down.
Ishraq initially dismissed the reports as rumours and baseless claims. On Monday morning, however, he announced on his verified Facebook page that he would formally declare his decision at the press club.
He said he had discussed the matter with the prime minister, who had allowed him to leave the post. Ishraq was elected BNP lawmaker for Dhaka-6 on 12 February and subsequently appointed state minister.
He also defended the operation, expressing regret if anyone had been hurt but insisting that he had committed no wrongdoing.
“If I have made any mistake, if I have hurt anyone through this operation, I first express regret for that. But I firmly believe I did not make any mistake that day,” he said.
The controversy erupted after Ishraq joined an anti-drug operation at Dayaganj Ghuntighar, near Gandaria Railway Station, on Saturday, carrying a firearm.
Videos circulated on social media showed him getting out of a vehicle with a pistol and directing members of his entourage to apprehend several people.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police subsequently ordered a formal investigation into the display of firearms.
Ishraq maintained that the drive targeted drug distribution centres in Dayaganj Ghuntighar and nearby Munshitek, following repeated complaints from residents.
He said the operation was conducted in coordination with local law enforcement agencies under decisions taken by the Dhaka-6 law and order committee, and that relevant police officials had been informed.
According to him, six people were detained and handed over to the police, along with evidence collected during the operation.
He claimed that police had cited shortages of manpower and vehicles as obstacles to tackling drug-related activities.
Explaining why he carried a firearm, Ishraq said he had briefly displayed his licensed weapon for personal security. He maintained that he had neither fired it nor threatened anyone with it.
“I did not go there to grab land or collect extortion money. I went there to fight for humanity,” he said.
In a Facebook statement after the incident, he described the drive as an anti-drug social resistance programme jointly planned by police, local political leaders and community representatives.
He complained that media coverage had focused on his handling of the firearm rather than the alleged drug trade.
Ishraq insisted that leaving the cabinet would not end his campaign against drugs. Instead, he said he would pursue it more actively as a BNP activist, focusing on Dhaka-6 and neighbouring areas.
In an earlier Facebook post, he pledged to work against drugs with “a hundred times more enthusiasm”, adding: “Not minister, but drug eradication!”
He urged journalists and members of the public to help identify major suppliers, arguing that action against street-level distributors alone would not resolve the problem.
“We will not be able to bring the situation under control until we identify and apprehend the main suppliers,” he said.
His resignation announcement drew party activists and supporters to the press club. After the briefing, supporters staged a demonstration near Topkhana Road, with Ishraq appearing in an open jeep surrounded by followers. The gathering temporarily disrupted traffic and caused congestion on nearby roads.
The resignation followed uncertainty over whether Ishraq had been ordered to leave the cabinet or had chosen to go voluntarily. While reports on Sunday said the prime minister had directed him to step down, Ishraq presented his departure as a decision he had taken after consulting Tarique.
The episode has placed the government under scrutiny over its response to alleged drug-related crime and the need for public representatives to respect established law enforcement procedures. Ishraq said his decision was intended to prevent the controversy from overshadowing the government’s work or damaging the BNP’s image.