State Minister for Liberation War Affairs and Dhaka-6 MP Ishraque Hossain has defended displaying his licenced firearm during an anti-drug drive in Gendaria of Dhaka.
He said he briefly raised the weapon in self-defence after suspected drug dealers allegedly rushed towards his motorcade.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Ishraque said the incident occurred during a coordinated anti-drug social resistance programme near the Gendaria railway line on Saturday (17 October). He described the display of the firearm as a lawful response to an imminent security threat.
Ishraque accused sections of the media and social media users of circulating partial, distorted and misleading reports, video clips and photocards of the incident.
He claimed that presenting a few seconds of the confrontation without its wider context was a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and overshadow the outcome of the operation.
According to the state minister, he had received repeated complaints from residents about drug dealing and the spread of narcotics among students in Gendaria’s Ghantighar, Munsitek, Karatitola and surrounding areas since becoming the elected representative for Dhaka-6.
He claimed the locality had become a major transit hub for drug syndicates following the 2024 mass uprising.
Ishraque said three innocent people were shot during drug-related violence in June, prompting him to visit the area and hold several coordination meetings with senior law enforcement officials.
He also sent a demi-official letter to the police station concerned, requesting additional police personnel and a permanent police camp near the drug dens. The proposal is currently being implemented, he said.
The state minister said Saturday’s visit followed a joint decision involving the police administration, local political and social leaders, law enforcement agencies and residents as part of a coordinated social resistance programme.
Explaining the firearm incident, Ishraque said law enforcement agencies and his personal intelligence sources had warned him before the visit about serious security risks, including the possibility of drug traffickers opening fire from rooftops.
As his motorcade approached a temporary drug den, a group of 30 to 35 people allegedly created a disturbance and rushed aggressively towards the vehicles, he said.
Faced with what he described as an imminent threat to life and property, Ishraque and his official security personnel stepped out of their vehicles and briefly raised their weapons in self-defence.
He said the firearm was immediately put away once the potential threat had been neutralised.
Ishraque maintained that his firearm was fully licenced by the competent authorities and that its display complied with the legal provisions governing self-defence.
Following the confrontation, Gendaria Police Station was immediately informed, and a joint drive was conducted with police participation and assistance, he said.
According to Ishraque, the joint team dismantled four to five temporary illegal drug dens and seized heroin or heroin-like substances, foreign liquor, drug-taking equipment, several locally made sharp weapons, cash believed to be proceeds from drug sales and snatched mobile phones.
He said six suspected drug dealers were caught red-handed and handed over to Gendaria Police Station along with the seized items.
The state minister also criticised reports published by Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, Dainik Ittefaq and Dainik Kalbela, particularly headlines describing the incident as a state minister conducting a drive with a weapon in hand.
He alleged that the reports had overlooked police participation, the seizure of drugs and weapons and the arrest of six suspects.
Ishraque urged media organisations to verify information and present incidents in their full context rather than publishing what he described as sensationalist and misleading accounts.
Reaffirming the government’s zero-tolerance policy against drugs, he said dismantling drug syndicates and making Dhaka-6 drug-free remained his primary commitment to constituents.
He maintained that distorted reporting would not deter the anti-drug social resistance movement and that similar operations would continue in the public interest.
Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police has ordered an investigation into the display of firearms during Saturday’s drive. Detective Branch chief Shafiqul Islam said the Wari Division deputy commissioner had been assigned to examine the incident and that action would follow if any violation of the law was established.
