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A Bangladeshi minister sparked a social media debate after he was filmed carrying a pistol during a raid on a suspected drug den in a Dhaka slum.
Screengrab of video going viral on social media
A video of a Bangladeshi minister carrying a pistol during an alleged raid on a suspected drug den in a Dhaka slum has sparked a debate on social media. The minister was seen confronting a group of people near Gandaria Railway Station, while at least one of his associates also appeared to be carrying a handgun.
Ishraque Hossain, Bangladesh’s state minister for liberation war affairs, shared footage of the operation on social media. In the video, the 39-year-old minister is seen getting out of a vehicle with a megaphone in one hand and a pistol in the other. He then runs towards a group of people gathered in the area.
“You are ruining the entire town, destroying the entire area,” Hossain is heard telling the group, according to news agency PTI.
Some of the men detained during the operation claimed they had done nothing wrong. Hossain is heard replying, “Let police come, then there will be talks.”
However, Dhaka Metropolitan Police said they were not informed about the raid beforehand. Police said Hossain and his associates detained six people and later handed them over to the local police station.
A Bangladeshi state minister chased an illegal drug seller in Dhaka today with a gun in his hand.Is it right or wrong for someone in his position to personally pick up a gun and pursue a suspect like this? https://t.co/BNJ7WJnKPJ
— Shubho Shaha (@ishubhoshaha) October 17, 2026
“The minister did not inform us about the raid in advance; we learned about it afterwards,” Additional Deputy Commissioner Masud Rana told reporters.
Police later went to the location after being informed that the minister’s team had detained the men. Gendaria police station officer-in-charge Moniruzzaman Monir said the six people were brought to the station after being accused of drug use.
“Some powder was found in their possession, which will be tested to find out if the substance is a drug,” Monir said.
Hossain, a member of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was elected to Parliament from the area in the February 12 elections.
Sharing the raid video online, Hossain described it as “Ishraque’s Action: Drug dens smashed and dealers handed over to the police.” He also claimed that he had carried out similar anti-drug operations in other parts of his central Dhaka constituency and said he would continue efforts to make the area drug-free.
The minister’s decision to personally join the operation, particularly while carrying a firearm, has since drawn attention and sparked discussion on social media.
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Ask News18Ishraque Hossain, Bangladesh’s state minister for liberation war affairs, was seen carrying a pistol during the operation.
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Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can …Read More
October 18, 2026, 4:40 PM IST
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