Ishraque’s armed ‘Raid’ raises questions over legal authority

State Minister for Liberation War Affairs and Dhaka-6 lawmaker Ishraque Hossain has handed over six people to police after detaining them on suspicion of involvement in drug trafficking at a slum beside a railway line in Gendaria, the capital.
In a video posted on his Facebook page on Saturday (October 17), he was seen chasing several people with a pistol in his hand. The footage also showed him pointing the firearm. The detained individuals were later taken away by police.
The officer-in-charge of Gendaria Police Station said police personnel went to the scene after receiving a phone call from the state minister and brought the detained individuals to the station. Police said a white powder-like substance was recovered from them. However, they said laboratory tests would be needed to determine whether the substance was a narcotic.

Legal experts say initiatives by elected representatives to combat drugs can undoubtedly be positive. Standing alongside residents affected by drug trafficking, gathering information about criminal activities and assisting law enforcement agencies are all part of a responsible public representative’s role. However, when such initiatives involve chasing people with firearms, detaining suspects and handing them over to police, questions arise about the legal basis for these actions.
The video posted by State Minister Ishraque shows him getting out of a vehicle and shouting, “Catch him, catch him, catch him,” while raising his pistol. Someone standing beside him can be heard saying, “I will shoot him outright.” Meanwhile, bodyguards accompanying the state minister are seen running after several people. One of the bodyguards also kicks a person.
The caption accompanying the video said the incident took place in the Dayaganj Ghumtighar railway gate area near Gendaria Railway Station in the capital. The video went viral shortly after it was posted. Another video showed the detained individuals being handed over to police. The publication of these videos triggered widespread discussion and criticism.
The video shared on State Minister Ishraque Hossain’s Facebook page was titled, “Ishraque in Action: Drug Den Raided, Dealers Handed Over to Police.” It identified the date of the incident as Saturday, October 17, 2026, and the location as an area beside the railway line in Gendaria.
The incident involving State Minister Ishraque Hossain has raised several important legal questions. Legal experts say that even when the intentions are good, established legal procedures cannot be disregarded.
According to them, Sections 13 and 19 of the Arms Act, 1878, provide for punishment for carrying firearms without a licence or in violation of licence conditions. The circumstances surrounding the possession and use of the firearm in this incident therefore need to be examined, including whether the weapon was properly licensed.
On the other hand, Section 23 of the Narcotics Control Act, 2018, empowers designated authorised officers to conduct searches, seize items and make arrests without a warrant. Holding the position of a state minister does not automatically grant someone these powers.
Meanwhile, Section 59 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, allows ordinary citizens, under specific circumstances, to apprehend offenders and hand them over to police. This provision applies when the person detained is involved in a non-bailable criminal offence. Some have questioned whether the circumstances surrounding the detention of the six individuals in this case meet the legal requirements of that provision.
The incident involving Ishraque Hossain has also raised questions about Section 39 of the Narcotics Control Act, which provides for punishment in cases involving unlawful or harassing searches and arrests.
The video also shows two people accompanying State Minister Ishraque carrying firearms. Pavel Shikder, former convener of the Dhaka Metropolitan South unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, was present at the scene. He told the media that they arrived there between 3pm and 3:30pm. According to him, the state minister went there following repeated complaints from local residents. Police had also been informed, but they took time to arrive.
The key questions now are whether the firearm carried by the state minister was licensed and what legal grounds justified its use, as well as which provisions of the law were followed in detaining the suspects.
Dr Tawohidul Haque, a University of Dhaka teacher and crime expert, told Agamir Somoy that although people have the right to help prevent crime and maintain law and order, they must act within the bounds of the law. A state minister’s responsibility is to provide necessary instructions and assistance to law enforcement agencies. The legality of displaying a firearm, pointing it at someone or using force depends on the circumstances of the incident and the applicable laws. He said an impartial investigation was necessary to determine whether the actions in this case were legally justified.
Regarding the incident, State Minister Ishraque told a media outlet that the firearm he was carrying was legally owned. However, his affidavit submitted to the returning officer during the last parliamentary election did not mention possession of a firearm.
In response to questions on the matter, the junior minister said he had acquired the weapon on December 12, 2025, following the lethal shooting of Sharif Osman Hadi. He said there had been no opportunity to include the firearm in his nomination papers when he obtained it.
However, the deadline for submitting nomination papers was December 29, 2025, and State Minister Ishraque submitted his nomination papers on December 28.
Explaining his use of the licensed firearm, the state minister told the media outlet that he was an elected representative and that the Dayaganj Ghumtighar area near Gandaria Railway Station fell within his parliamentary constituency. He said drug trafficking was taking place there and that local residents had repeatedly complained to him. According to him, he had informed police about the matter, but no effective action had been taken. He said this was why he had been compelled to go there himself.
The state minister further claimed that police had failed to play an effective role. He said he had held meetings with police at least 30 to 40 times, but they offered different explanations on different occasions, citing staff shortages and a lack of vehicles. He also claimed that several police officers had been shot and wounded during previous operations in the area.
According to Ishraque, police had yet to recover fully following the July mass uprising. He said drug dealers sometimes opened fire from a distance, which was why he had carried a firearm. “I did not fire it, nor did I use it to intimidate anyone. Yes, we conducted the operation, and we are building a social resistance movement,” he said.
However, a prosecution lawyer, speaking to Agamir Somoy on condition of anonymity, said members of the public were also entitled to intervene to prevent crime, but the extent of such intervention was defined under Section 59 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The lawyer said the role of the government and ministers was to issue instructions rather than participate directly or take action in anger. He added that pointing a firearm at someone could constitute an offence, regardless of whether the weapon was legally owned, and questioned whether the minister had any legal authority to conduct searches.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer Sharif Bhuiyan came up with a similar view. He questioned what role the police were expected to play if a minister had to personally take part in an operation with a firearm. Bhuiyan said the way the state minister displayed the weapon was unlawful.
When asked to comment on Ishraque’s armed operation, Moniruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Gandaria Police Station, declined to make any statement.
Several officials of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) were also contacted about the incident, but they avoided commenting. DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media) Akhtar Hossain likewise told Agamir Somoy, “I will not comment on this matter.”