No evidence of petrol bomb use 

Investigators had so far found no evidence suggesting that petrol bombs were used to set fire to the village home of MP Nusrat Tabassum, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said on Thursday.

“An initial investigation has found that electrical short circuit may have caused the incident,” he told Parliament as Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam alleged that fascist Awami League might have link behind this fire incident.

The Home Minister said investigators found no signs of a petrol bomb explosion on the walls of the house. “Nor had any witnesses provided information suggesting that petrol bombs were used in the incident,” he added.

He said the initial assessment by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) indicated that the fire was more likely caused by an electrical fault, as the house had old and weak electrical wiring.

“An initial assessment suggests that the possibility of an electrical short circuit is quite high,” he said, adding that a photograph from the scene also appeared to indicate a possible short circuit.

The fire broke out at a tin-shed, semi-concrete house in the MP’s village, he said. 

The house, which was unoccupied, was around 20 metres from a three-storey building where her parents live, he added.

Two goats kept at the house died in the  fire and some shoemaking materials, clothes and other belongings were also inside, he added.

The minister said an additional superintendent of police and the officer-in-charge of the local police station had visited the scene. 

He said he also spoke to the superintendent of police on Thursday morning and directed further investigation.

Fire service personnel from a neighbouring police station were brought in immediately after the incident was reported and managed to bring the blaze under control, the minister said.

Salahuddin said he had already ordered a joint investigation involving the BGB, Fire Service and Civil Defence, civil administration and police to establish whether the fire was accidental or the result of sabotage.

He said photographs, audio and video recordings, and other evidence collected from the scene had been preserved for examination.

A general diary (GD) has been filed with the police in connection with the incident. 

The minister said the police were investigating the matter under GD No. 703, dated Thursday.

Emphasising that the findings were still preliminary, he said a definitive conclusion could only be reached after the investigation was completed.

“If further investigation reveals that anyone was involved in sabotage, appropriate action will be taken,” he said.

Earlier, Opposition Chief Whip Md Nahid Islam expressed concern over the security of lawmakers and leaders of the July Uprising and anti-fascist movement following the reported arson attack on the ancestral home of NCP lawmaker Nusrat Tabassum in Daulatpur, Kushtia.

He said miscreants hurled four petrol bombs at the house around midnight on Wednesday, setting it on fire and killing cattle kept there.

He alleged that the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the local police station had commented that no evidence of petrol bombs was found at the scene, although no forensic team had visited the spot until Thursday noon.

“Without any forensic investigation, how can the OC conclude that no petrol bombs were used? I do not know how a police officer can make such a comment,” he said.

Citing that the fallen fascist force started anarchy and carrying out sabotages across the country, NCP lawmaker Nahid Islam said it is evident that they are the prime targets, while BNP are the second targets for the fascist forces.

He also referred to an attack on Hasib Al Islam, a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, in Moulvibazar two days earlier, alleging that no one had been arrested even after 48 hours.

Citing Mentioning reported petrol bomb and crude bomb explosions in different parts of the country, including inside Dhaka University, he questioned the government’s response to the deteriorating security situation.

“Even after setting fire to the house of a sitting MP, can’t we still call it a deterioration in law and order? This is the question,” he said.

He said the attacks had created fear among lawmakers, leaders of the July Uprising and activists of the anti-fascist movement over their personal security and that of their families.

The lawmaker also sought a clear response from the government over what he described as the government’s compromising attitude towards the Awami League and the question of bringing the fascist forces to justice.-UNB