Bangladesh minister raids suspected drug den carrying pistol, sparks debate

<p> Dhaka, Oct 17 (PTI): A junior minister carrying a pistol raided a suspected drug den in a slum in the Bangladeshi capital on Saturday along with some associates in plainclothes, triggering a debate on social media over his actions.</p><p>State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain uploaded a video clip in which he was seen stepping out of a vehicle with a megaphone in one hand and a pistol in the other, before chasing a group of people. At least one of his associates was also seen carrying a handgun.</p><p>“You are ruining the entire town, destroying the entire area,” Hossain was heard saying in the footage recorded at a slum near Gandaria Railway Station.</p><p>  Hossain, 39, a member of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was elected to Parliament from the area in the February 12 elections.</p><p>  Some of the men detained by his associates claimed they were innocent.</p><p>“Let police come, then there will be talks,” Hossain was heard telling them.</p><p>  Police said the minister carried out the raid without informing them in advance and detained six to seven people before handing them over to the local police station.</p><p>  "The minister did not inform us about the raid in advance; we learned about it afterwards,” Dhaka metropolitan police’s additional deputy commissioner Masud Rana told reporters.</p><p>  Gendaria police station’s officer in charge Moniruzzaman Monir said: "They detained six people and claimed they were drug abusers, so we went and brought them in”.</p><p>  “Some powder was found in their possession, which will be tested to find out if the substance is a drug,” he said.</p><p>  Hossain uploaded the video in the evening with the caption, “Ishraque's Action: Drug dens smashed and dealers handed over to the police.” The clip was later deleted after it sparked debate on social media, with many questioning whether such action was appropriate for a minister.</p><p>  The post also said Hossain had previously conducted anti-drug raids in various parts of his downtown Dhaka constituency and vowed to continue the campaign to make the area drug-free.</p><p>The pistol in Hossain's hand was blurred in most of the footage, though he was clearly seen carrying it in some portions. PTI AR RD RD</p><p>RD</p><p><i>(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)</i></p>

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