State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain said on Monday that he had voluntarily asked Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to relieve him of his ministerial duties, insisting the decision was his own.

Speaking at a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka, Ishraque said he wanted to continue his anti-drug campaign without embarrassing the government or the BNP.

"I have voluntarily sought release from my duties as state minister for liberation war affairs from the honourable prime minister today," he said.

"I told him that I want to work on eliminating drugs and addressing other problems affecting public life in my Dhaka-6 constituency and neighbouring areas, and elsewhere if necessary."

Ishraque claimed the prime minister had agreed to his request.

"He kindly agreed and gave me the opportunity, saying, 'All right, go and identify the areas and work there,'" he said.

His announcement followed two days of controversy over videos showing him brandishing a pistol while chasing suspected drug users during an anti-drug operation in Dhaka on Saturday.

The incident drew widespread criticism over a sitting lawmaker and state minister taking law enforcement into his own hands.

On Sunday, Daily Waadaa reported, citing two highly placed sources, that Ishraque had been asked to resign following the controversy.

Another source said he had been barred from attending a cabinet meeting.

His office subsequently rejected the resignation reports as false, baseless and politically motivated.

At Monday's press conference, however, Ishraque acknowledged seeking release from his ministerial responsibilities but maintained that the initiative came from him, not the prime minister.

He said he did not want his actions to distract from the government's work or damage his party's reputation.

"I do not want any of your activities or plans to be overshadowed because of me, nor do I want my party to be embarrassed," he said.

Defending Saturday's operation, Ishraque said he had briefly held his licensed firearm for personal protection.

"When I went there, for my own safety, I held my firearm for a short time so that I could protect myself," he said.

He accused sections of the media and social media users of shifting attention from the drug problem to his display of the weapon.

"The whole thing came down to two words: weapon and Ishraque," he said.

He said repeated references to his firearm had overshadowed the purpose of the operation.

Ishraque maintained that his campaign was directed at major drug suppliers rather than street-level distributors.

"We are not looking for the street-level distributors. We are looking for the main suppliers," he said.

He argued that dismantling the supply chain was essential to curbing drug trafficking.

Despite the criticism, Ishraque stood by his actions.

"I firmly believe that I did nothing wrong that day," he said.

He nevertheless apologised to anyone who might have been hurt during the operation.

Ishraque said he would continue his anti-drug activities in Dhaka-6 and surrounding areas after leaving his ministerial responsibilities.

His remarks mark a shift from his office's categorical denial of resignation reports a day earlier, although he continues to dispute suggestions that the prime minister asked him to step down.