Uproar in parliament over fire at MP Nusrat's Kushtia home, opposition protests home minister's statement

Parliament turned heated on Thursday over the fire at the Kushtia home of reserved women's seat MP Nusrat Tabassum. Opposition chief whip Nahid Islam alleged that petrol bombs were thrown to set the NCP lawmaker's house on fire, and voiced strong anger over the government's role and the law-and-order situation. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad, however, said the preliminary investigation found no specific evidence of a petrol bomb or sabotage, and that the fire could also have been caused by an electrical short circuit. The opposing positions of the two sides at one point created intense noise and tension in the House.

Standing on a point of order at the start of Thursday's (November 12) sitting, opposition chief whip Nahid Islam claimed that four petrol bombs were thrown in a planned way to set the house on fire.

He said the house was not abandoned. Relatives, along with the caretaker's family, lived there, and people were present there last night as well. He noted that a major loss of life was narrowly avoided.

Nahid Islam further said Nusrat Tabassum had been threatened in various ways over the past few days, and although a general diary (GD) was filed on the matter, the administration took no effective step. He alleged that fascist forces are celebrating on social media and that although the Kushtia district Awami League claimed responsibility for the incident, the home minister was absolving them in parliament.

In reply, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad said that as soon as news of the incident arrived, the Fire Service and law enforcement agencies quickly reached the scene and brought the fire under control. A joint investigation committee comprising the BGB, the Fire Service, the police and the civil administration has begun work to uncover the real cause of the fire.

Presenting the preliminary findings, the home minister said that after speaking with local residents and law enforcement agencies and assessing the evidence, no sound like a petrol bomb explosion and no mark of one on the walls was found. No witness gave any information about petrol bombs being used either. As the house is old and its electrical wiring weak, the fire is suspected to have started from a short circuit. However, he said nothing can be stated with certainty until the full investigation is complete.

After the home minister's statement, opposition members began shouting protests. Deputy Speaker Kaysar Kamal, who was in the Speaker's chair, called on everyone to remain calm to handle the situation.

Amid the uproar, the home minister said it is not proper to blame the government wholesale or try to gain political advantage before the investigation ends. He assured the House that if sabotage is proven, strict legal action will be taken against those responsible.

Later, in the final part of the sitting, Deputy Speaker Kaysar Kamal described the whole incident as extremely concerning. He said that soon after the midnight fire, he tried to contact the home minister, the law minister and the state minister for energy by phone but could not reach them. However, he said, the matter came to the administration's attention, albeit late, and the joint investigation committee is working. He urged everyone to remain patient until the full investigation report arrives.