Sarjis Alam Calls the Prime Minister's Decision 'Commendable' After Reports that Ishraq Hossain Was Directed to Resign
After media reports spread that the Prime Minister had directed State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraq Hossain to resign, Sarjis Alam, chief organiser (northern region) of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has described Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's decision as 'commendable'. His reaction has added a new dimension to an issue that has dominated the day's political discussion.
Sarjis Alam made the remark in a status posted on his own Facebook page on Sunday night (18 October), shortly after the news of the resignation directive spread through the media.
In the status, Sarjis wrote: 'This courageous decision of the Honourable Prime Minister is commendable. I expect that everyone from the centre to the grassroots will learn from this.' He also characterised the decision as 'courageous'.
Sarjis Alam serves as the NCP's chief organiser for the northern region. In the recent political climate, his comments on various issues on social media frequently draw discussion, and this brief status has likewise set off a range of reactions and debate in political circles.
The backdrop to the comment is the ongoing controversy surrounding State Minister Ishraq Hossain. When reports emerged in the media that the Prime Minister had directed him to resign, the matter became the principal topic of the day's politics. Sarjis's public support has come as a continuation of that sequence of events.
The most significant part of Sarjis's statement is his expectation that 'the centre to the grassroots will learn from this'. Through it, he has indicated that the message of such a decision by the top leadership should not remain confined to the person concerned; its effect should reach down to the grassroots of the party and of politics.
In the view of political observers, open praise of a head of government's decision by a top-level organiser of a different party is a notable event. It has brought to the fore once again that the controversy around Ishraq Hossain is no longer merely a question of one post or one person; it has taken its place in political discussion as a question of accountability and discipline.
At the same time, questions and speculation around the reported resignation directive remain. Whether the directive has formally taken effect, and what the state minister's final position will be, are matters of both waiting and discussion. Sarjis's comment has injected fresh momentum into that speculation.
After the status spread on social media, a variety of opinions began to appear. Some are viewing his stance positively, while others say they are waiting to see the formal outcome of the matter. But one question now sits at the centre of everyone's discussion — what the eventual outcome of this episode will be.
Beyond this status, it was not clearly known by the time of this report whether the NCP had issued any formal party statement on the matter. For now, Sarjis's remark is being discussed as his personal Facebook status.
All in all, Sarjis Alam's comment has added a new chapter to the ongoing episode surrounding Ishraq Hossain. Attention will now be on the formal announcement and the next steps — and on the official reactions of the political parties as well.
