Police find no evidence of petrol bomb attack at MP Nusrat's village home

Police have found no evidence of a petrol bomb attack at the village home of Nusrat Tabassum, joint convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and a lawmaker from a reserved women's seat, in Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia, following a fire at the property. Tabassum alleged that petrol bombs had been thrown at her home, but police said they were investigating the cause of the fire.

Police received information about the fire at Tabassum's ancestral home in Bagoan village of Daulatpur upazila shortly after midnight on Thursday (November 12).

Mohammad Khaledur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Daulatpur Police Station, said Tabassum called him between 12:15am and 12:20am to report the incident. A police patrol team and firefighters subsequently reached the scene and brought the fire under control with assistance from local residents.

Two goats kept at the house were burnt to death in the fire. However, other livestock and the caretaker were safely evacuated. According to police, five of the building's eight rooms were damaged. No one was injured in the incident.

Earlier on Thursday night, Tabassum claimed in a post on her Facebook account that petrol bombs had been thrown at her home. She said she did not know who was behind the incident. She also vowed to continue her political and organisational activities, saying such attacks would not silence her.

NCP Senior Joint Member Secretary Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain also shared a video of the fire on his verified Facebook page, blaming individuals linked to the Awami League for the alleged petrol bomb attack. However, no evidence has so far emerged to support the allegation.

Asked about the claim, OC Khaledur Rahman said police had found no evidence of a petrol bomb attack at the scene so far. He said an investigation was under way to establish the actual cause of the fire.

Fire service personnel and officials from the rural electricity authority had also inspected the site. Investigators were examining whether an electrical short circuit had triggered the blaze. The cause would be confirmed after the relevant agencies submitted their reports, the police officer said.

Police said the fire-damaged property was an old eight-room structure built by Tabassum's grandfather. It was not regularly occupied and was mainly used to store old furniture, livestock, poultry and animal feed. The presence of straw and other flammable materials allowed the fire to spread quickly.

Another three-storey building belonging to Tabassum's family is located close to the property, where her parents live.

However, Tabassum claimed that seven people, including several elderly residents, lived in the house. Her account of the property's use and occupancy differs from the preliminary information provided by police.

Police said no case had been filed over the incident as of Thursday. An investigation will determine the actual cause of the fire and whether anyone was involved.