Ishraque defends showing firearm

State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain has defended displaying a firearm during an anti-drug operation in Dhaka’s Gendaria, saying he raised his licensed weapon briefly in self-defence after a group of people approached his convoy aggressively.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), meanwhile, has ordered an investigation into the incident to determine whether any law was violated.

The incident took place near Gendaria railway station on Saturday afternoon, October 17. A video posted on the minister’s verified Facebook page showed him carrying a pistol while chasing several people during the operation. The footage went viral, drawing criticism and raising questions about a minister’s role in conducting such an operation.

In a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday, Ishraque said the operation was part of a joint initiative involving local residents, political leaders and law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking.

He said he had received complaints about drug trading in Ghantighar, Munsitek, Karatitola and nearby areas since taking responsibility for the Dhaka-6 constituency.

According to him, the area had become a major transit point for drug syndicates following the 2024 mass uprising. He said he visited the area after three people were shot in a drug-related incident last June.

The minister said he had held several coordination meetings with senior law enforcement officials and sent an official letter to the local police station requesting more personnel and a permanent police outpost near suspected drug dens. The proposal was still under consideration, he added.

Ishraque said he had received information from law enforcement agencies and his own sources about possible attacks, including gunfire from rooftops, before reaching the scene.

He claimed that when his convoy approached a makeshift drug den, around 30 to 35 people shouted at them and advanced aggressively.

“Given the imminent threat of an attack and the need to ensure the safety of lives and property, my official security detail and I stepped out of our vehicles and, for a very brief moment, raised our weapons in self-defence,” he said in the statement.

He said the weapons were put away as soon as the situation was brought under control. He also maintained that his firearm was licensed and that he had acted within the law solely for self-defence.