'File a Case Against Me, I Will Go to Jail Myself' — Resigned State Minister Ishraq Hossain Challenges Nahid Islam

Ishraq Hossain, who has just resigned as State Minister for Liberation War Affairs, has thrown a direct challenge at National Citizen Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam. His words: find a criminal offence against him through some loophole and file a case — he will surrender himself and go to jail.

Ishraq, the Member of Parliament for Dhaka-6, posted the message on his verified Facebook account on Monday night (October 19). Earlier the same day, at noon, he had formally announced his resignation as State Minister for Liberation War Affairs at a press conference at the National Press Club.

Addressing Nahid Islam in the Facebook post, Ishraq wrote: “I had thought Mr. Nahid Islam was at least somewhat a bearer of the new arrangement. In answer to a journalist's question about me, he spoke zero percent about the drug epidemic and its remedy, and one hundred percent advised finding my criminal offence. That, apparently, is how the rule of law will be established, and so on.”

He further wrote: “Wouldn't it have been better to address the drug issue first? Then you could have hanged me. Sorry, Gen-Z — you are not getting any new arrangement through these people.”

In the post, without naming another person, Ishraq wrote: “I won't say the name. But another boy, from whom I expected nothing but mental problems, got my number from somewhere and called to say, brother, take me along next time you go. These drugs are destroying us. In truth, this party's future is zero.”

In his telling, eliminating drugs means having to face a criminal case — and that too after proceeding lawfully, as a lawmaker, taking the police along. It was in this context that he issued his challenge to Nahid.

Addressing Nahid Islam again, he wrote: “I will tell Nahid — find a criminal offence through some loophole and file a case against me. I will go and surrender myself and go to jail. After all, it is about establishing the rule of law. They will go on doing this worthless politics. They will not be able to change anything.”

On eliminating drugs, Ishraq Hossain warned of a different approach: “The remedy will have to come in another style. As the dog, so the stick. It is coming soon. Big dealers. Sellers, wait.”

Notably, his armed anti-drug operation has been the subject of discussion and criticism across the country. Amid questions over the legality of that operation, he resigned as state minister — and on the very day of his resignation, posted this explosive message on Facebook.

Ishraq's post has sparked fresh discussion in political circles. Such an open challenge to a top leader of the opposition camp, immediately after leaving a state minister's post in the government, is rare in politics.

It now remains to be seen whether Nahid Islam or the NCP responds to the challenge. Attention will also be on what step Ishraq takes next after his talk of an “other style” of remedy and his warning aimed at big dealers.