Hasnat mocks BNP activists over Ishraque resignation flip-flop, Sarjis praises PM’s ‘courageous decision’

National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah has ridiculed BNP activists for repeatedly changing their positions over reports that State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain had been asked to resign.

In a sarcastic Facebook post, Hasnat said BNP supporters first praised Ishraque for his controversial anti-drug operation, then applauded Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for reportedly seeking his resignation, only to discover that the resignation claim had been denied.

“BNP activists are in trouble,” Hasnat wrote.

“Yesterday, they had to praise State Minister Ishraque’s actions. Today, they had to praise the Prime Minister’s decision. Before they could even finish writing, they learned that the resignation decision was fake.”

Hasnat said the activists would now have to explain why the Prime Minister was right not to demand Ishraque’s resignation.

He also suggested that the controversy had exposed divisions within the BNP.

According to Hasnat, Ishraque had now identified those within his own party who celebrated reports of his departure.

Taking the satire further, Hasnat said Ishraque should demand the resignation of Cabinet Minister Partha and investigate whether he had any role in what Hasnat described as a “media coup”.

His remarks amounted to a pointed attack on the shifting political reactions to the controversy, rather than evidence of any involvement by Partha.

Meanwhile, NCP leader Sarjis Alam welcomed the Prime Minister’s reported decision.

“The Honourable Prime Minister deserves praise for this courageous decision,” Sarjis wrote.

“I hope everyone, from the central leadership to the grassroots, will learn a lesson from this.”

The controversy erupted after Ishraque was filmed brandishing a pistol during an anti-drug drive in Dhaka's Gandaria area on Saturday. 

On Sunday, several media outlets reported, citing senior government sources, that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had instructed him to resign. Ishraque's office subsequently rejected the reports as false, baseless and politically motivated, insisting that no resignation instruction had been issued. 

The conflicting accounts have left Ishraque's political future uncertain, while drawing sharp reactions from both his supporters and opponents.

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