'This Party's Future Is Zero' — Ishraque Hossain's Sharp Facebook Criticism of the NCP
Ishraque Hossain, the recently resigned state minister for liberation war affairs, has sharply criticised the future of the National Citizen Party (NCP). Questioning the party's position on anti-drug activities and remedies, he said no new settlement or change would come through the NCP.
Ishraque Hossain made the remarks in a Facebook post late on Monday night (19 October). After the post appeared, it sparked discussion in political circles.
In the post he strongly criticised NCP convener Nahid Islam. Ishraque wrote that he once considered Nahid Islam a bearer of a 'new settlement', but recently, answering journalists' questions about him, Nahid had advised looking for criminal offences against him instead of speaking about the drug problem.
Ishraque expressed disappointment with Nahid's position after that comment. In his view, advising a search for criminal offences against him, rather than discussing solutions to the drug problem, was not appropriate for Nahid Islam. The drug issue should have been discussed seriously, he commented.
In the post he wrote: sorry, Gen Z, you are not getting any new settlement through these people. That line has become the most discussed part of his post.
Commenting on the NCP's political future, Ishraque said the party's future is '0'. His allegation is that if politics continues this way, no effective change will come to the country.
Ishraque claimed that a young man had phoned him to express concern over the spread of drugs and had shown interest in joining him in anti-drug activities in future. He did not, however, disclose that young man's name.
He also raised the fear of facing a criminal case for taking initiatives to eradicate drugs. In his account, even after conducting anti-drug activities lawfully, as a lawmaker and with police accompanying him, a case could still be filed — and he objects to such a situation.
Addressing Nahid Islam, Ishraque Hossain wrote that if any evidence of a criminal offence is found against him, a case should be filed. He claimed that if such a situation arises, he is ready to surrender voluntarily and even go to prison.
Hinting at adopting a different method in anti-drug activities, Ishraque wrote that the remedy would have to be in another style — as the dog, so the stick, in his proverbial phrase.
At the end of the post, warning big drug dealers and sellers, he wrote: I am coming soon. Big dealers and sellers, wait.
No immediate reaction from the NCP was available in the material for this report after Ishraque's post. The debate therefore remains, for now, limited to one side's statement.
This public disagreement between the two sides over the drug issue has generated fresh discussion in politics. It remains to be seen whether the NCP answers this criticism and what steps Ishraque takes next with his announced anti-drug activities.
