Ishraque Hossain has said he will announce his resignation as State Minister for Liberation War Affairs at 2pm on Monday, October 19, according to a post on his verified Facebook page.
In the post published earlier on Monday morning, Ishraque said he would make the final announcement at the National Press Club and face journalists.
“I will make the final announcement of my resignation as State Minister for Liberation War Affairs at the National Press Club at 2pm today and face journalists, Insha’Allah,” he wrote.
Ishraque also commented on social media reactions to his decision, saying he had seen some people celebrating in their Facebook posts. He expressed hope that if a movement or struggle became necessary in the future, they would return from abroad and join it, inspired by nationalist ideals.
He further said he would work with “a hundred times more enthusiasm” against drugs, this time as a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) activist rather than as a member of parliament or state minister. He added that cleanliness campaigns would be intensified.
The state minister also said he would be able to visit different districts to strengthen the organisational capacity of the Projonmo Dal nationwide. Repeating his emphasis on tackling drugs, he wrote: “Not minister, eradicate drugs! Eradicate drugs, eradicate drugs!”
Earlier, on Saturday, October 17, Ishraque Hossain displayed his personally licensed firearm during an anti-drug social resistance campaign in Gandaria, Dhaka. The incident drew widespread criticism.
Following the controversy, reports emerged on Sunday, October 18, that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had asked Ishraque to resign as state minister. However, Ishraque had previously dismissed reports of a resignation order as rumours.
