Ishraque Hossain has said he decided to resign as state minister for Liberation War Affairs after discussing the matter with the prime minister in order to facilitate anti-drug operations.
He made the remarks while announcing his resignation at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club on Monday afternoon.
Ishraque said, “Although my anti-drug campaign was launched with good intentions, the BNP has been embarrassed by the negative publicity surrounding it. When I met the prime minister and expressed my desire to resign voluntarily, he agreed.”
He also informed the prime minister of his intention to continue his anti-drug campaign while undertaking important work in his parliamentary constituency, Dhaka-6, and surrounding areas.
His resignation came amid controversy over an anti-drug drive during which he used a firearm while chasing several suspected drug users in the capital’s Gendaria area.
Speaking about displaying a firearm during the operation, he said, “I believe I did nothing wrong. I held a firearm for some time for my own security. I did not go there to steal or collect extortion money; I went there to fight against drugs.”
He alleged that media reports about the drive contained a mixture of truth and exaggeration. He claimed that some media outlets were shaping a narrative that distorted the actual events.
The BNP leader said, “Images of the incident were presented in various ways on social media and in the media, overshadowing the main issue of eliminating drugs. Nevertheless, if I made any mistake or hurt anyone, I apologise.”
