Liberation War Affairs State Minister Ishraque Hossain exited a vehicle with a firearm in hand during an anti-drug operation Saturday afternoon in the Dayaganj Ghuntighar rail-gate area near Gendaria Railway Station in Dhaka, according to Prothom Alo English.
A video posted on Ishraque's Facebook page titled "Ishraque in action: Drug den demolished, dealers handed over to police" shows the state minister shouting "Catch them!" as bodyguards moved to apprehend individuals standing beside railway tracks. The video also captures someone saying, "I'll shoot you dead," though no shots were fired, according to Prothom Alo English.
The incident raises questions about whether a government minister may legally carry and display firearms during law enforcement operations, and whether Ishraque's conduct complied with Bangladesh's own firearms regulations.
What Bangladesh's firearms policy permits
Article 25 of the Home Ministry's 2025 policy permits registered firearm owners to carry weapons for self-defence but contains a restriction: "a firearm must not be displayed in a manner that may cause fear or annoyance to others," according to Prothom Alo English.
Ishraque told Prothom Alo English the firearm he carried was legal and that he acquired it on December 11, 2025, after Sharif Osman Hadi was shot. He said there was no opportunity to declare the weapon in his nomination papers, which he submitted on December 28, 2025—one day before the deadline of December 29.
His election affidavit submitted to the returning officer for Dhaka-6 did not mention firearm ownership, according to Prothom Alo English.
Who was armed at the scene
Ishraque was accompanied by two personal bodyguards, Tofazzal Hossain and Lavlu, both armed, and a government bodyguard who can be seen pointing a firearm in the video, according to Prothom Alo English.
During the operation, a bodyguard kicked a young man. Pavel Sikder, former convener of the Dhaka City South unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and a witness at the scene, identified the kicker as the state minister's government bodyguard but could not provide a name, telling Prothom Alo English that government bodyguards rotate their duties.
The identity of the person heard threatening to shoot could not be confirmed, according to Prothom Alo English.
How the operation unfolded
Ishraque and his group arrived between 3:00 pm and 3:30 pm on Saturday following repeated complaints from local residents, Pavel Sikder told Prothom Alo English. Police had been informed but took time to arrive at the scene.
The video shows apprehended young men saying, "Sir, I haven't done anything. I'm a poor man, sir." Ishraque responded, "The police will come, then we'll talk." Another video showed the detained individuals being handed over to police.
Unanswered questions about the minister's authority
Prothom Alo English identified several unanswered questions: whether the firearm was legally registered under Ishraque's name and when registration was completed; whether Ishraque had legal authority to conduct an anti-drug operation; what the government's official position is on ministers participating in armed law enforcement; whether charges were filed against those apprehended; and whether the Home Ministry has commented on whether the firearm display violated Article 25 of the 2025 policy.