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DHAKA: Liberation War Affairs State Minister Ishraq Hossain came under scrutiny after a video showing him chasing suspected illegal drug traders while carrying a firearm went viral. Following hours of speculation over his resignation, Ishraq announced on his verified Facebook page at 8:30am on Monday that he was stepping down.
The Dhaka-6 lawmaker had faced widespread criticism since the video showing him displaying a firearm was posted on Facebook. On Sunday night, Ishraq dismissed media reports that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had instructed him to resign from the cabinet, describing them as rumours. His press officer also issued a rebuttal, calling the reports false and misleading.
However, after Ishraq announced his resignation on Monday morning, many people began posting reactions on social media. Maruf Kamal Khan, former press secretary to the BNP chairperson, also published a post without naming Ishraq directly.
In his post, Maruf Kamal wrote that no one is indispensable and that, at times, individuals must be sacrificed for the greater interests of the party and the country.
“Favouritism must not be shown to anyone whose public image is poor, no matter how dear that person may be,” he wrote, adding that public perception must be given the highest priority in politics.
He also stressed the need for firmness in maintaining discipline and called for lessons to be learned from the past failures of Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League, as well as from the party’s own past mistakes.
Addressing the current government, Maruf Kamal urged it to keep arrogance, corruption, irregularities and ego at bay.
He further called on the government to protect former president Ziaur Rahman’s principle that the country comes before the party, and the party before the individual, “like the apple of one’s eye.” Only by upholding these principles, he said, would success remain within reach.
