State Minister Ishraque with pistol in hand in anti-drug drive

State Minister for Liberation War Affairs and Member of Parliament of Dhaka-6 constituency Ishraque Hossain has conducted an anti-drug drive in Gendaria of the capital, arrested six people and handed them over to the police. This drive was conducted in a slum adjacent to the railway line of Ward No. 45 of Gendaria Police Station on Saturday (October 17). He has published the video of the drive on his Facebook page. A pistol has been seen in his hand in the video. However the type of the weapon could not be confirmed.

In the published video it is seen that a drive is being conducted at the drug den in the area adjacent to the railway line. In another video several people are seen being taken by the police after putting handcuffs. Some parts of the pistol in the hand of the State Minister were blurred in the video. The reason for having the weapon in his hand during the drive or whether it was used has not been known in detail.

It is further seen in the video that Ishraque Hossain started chasing a group of people as soon as he got down from the car with the mouthpiece of a hand mike in one hand and a pistol in the other hand.

He is seen pulling the slide of the pistol to make it ready for firing, aiming it at the people and shouting “Hey stop, stop”.

Contact was tried with State Minister Ishraque Hossain in this regard but his statement could not be obtained. Later it has been informed in a message sent by his media cell that the State Minister has announced to continue the drive until the Dhaka-6 constituency is made drug-free.

It has been said in the message that the drug traders will not be spared no matter which party they belong to. Ishraq has informed that even if anyone of his own party is involved in the drug trade, his punishment will be more severe.

Addressing the local people during the drive the State Minister said, “Those who sell drugs in the area have no place in this Dhaka-6 constituency of mine. We have overthrown the government by protesting against the autocratic government. And do these drug traders have any time? No matter how big the drug trader is in this area, no matter which party they belong to, if they are of my party, then their punishment will be even bigger.”

Mentioning that the young society is being destroyed due to drug addiction, Ishraq said that he has been collecting information through intelligence for the last six months. He also informed that the persons who will be able to assist in arresting the drug suppliers will be evaluated. According to him, there is a plan to conduct the anti-drug drive started from the Dhaka-6 constituency across the whole country.

When the arrested persons requested to be released, the State Minister assured them. He said, “No one will touch your body, no one will do anything to you. You will go to the police station, the police will take measures for you. We have not come to beat you. This country will run through the law. They will be tried, they will be punished through the trial.”

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gendaria Police Station Moniruzzaman Monir said that the State Minister arrested six people and phoned the police station. Later the police went and brought them to the police station.

The OC further said that white powder-like substances have been found with the arrested persons. Whether those are heroin will be confirmed through examination.

Regarding the incident Additional Deputy Commissioner of the Wari Division of the police Masud Rana said, as far as we have known, he has caught six-seven people and given them to the police station. The honourable State Minister did not inform the police in advance (about the drive), we came to know the matter later.

Mixed reactions have been created among the netizens over the incident of such a drive by a Member of Parliament and State Minister with a pistol in hand.