Fire at Nusrat Tabassum's house was not a short circuit, probe report due Sunday

The Home Ministry's investigation committee has ruled out a short circuit as the cause of the fire at the ancestral home of National Citizen Party (NCP) leader and reserved-seat MP Nusrat Tabassum in Bagowan village of Daulatpur upazila, Kushtia. The inquiry is in its final stage and the final report will be sent on Sunday.

The committee is examining whether the fire started from a petrol bomb, sabotage or an accident, rather than a short circuit, a member of the committee has said.

Citing the preliminary investigation, the member said on Saturday that CCTV footage showed a spark at 12:15:30 on the night of the incident, which was first thought to be the start of the fire. But the fire had been burning slowly long before that spark, and there is video footage of it. The spark was not the origin; the fire began much earlier.

Asked about a short circuit, the investigating officer said: 'When the fire flared up for the third time, the electric lights went out; but the fire had started before that. The fire was not caused by a short circuit.'

The committee believes straw was stored in one room of the house. Someone may have set the straw on fire, or it may have been an accident. The matter is under further review.

The fire broke out late on Wednesday night at the Bagowan home of NCP joint convener and MP Nusrat Tabassum. On Thursday, the Home Ministry formed a four-member committee headed by Kushtia district local government deputy director (deputy secretary) Ahmed Mahbub Ul Islam, and asked it to report within three days.

The other three members are BGB Kushtia sector additional director (operations) Major Asrarul Haque, Kushtia additional superintendent of police (Bheramara circle) Delwar Hossain, and Kushtia Fire Service and Civil Defence assistant director Wadud Hossain.

Committee members inspected the burnt house in Bagowan on Friday and Saturday. On Friday they stayed from 10:30am to 3pm, spoke to people concerned and collected evidence. On Saturday they returned at around 11:45am.

Saturday's inspection was joined by Kushtia Palli Bidyut Samity deputy general manager (technical) Moynul Huda. Members toured the burnt rooms with him and examined the place where the electricity meter was installed, the wiring and other matters, staying for more than half an hour. The Palli Bidyut official declined to speak to the media there.

Contacted by phone, Kushtia Palli Bidyut Samity general manager Zillur Rahman said: 'Since the electricity line belongs to Palli Bidyut, an official went there. I did not go. The meter and other things are being examined again. The Home Ministry's investigation committee was also there.'

Nusrat Tabassum has filed a case with Daulatpur police station alleging an attempt to kill her family members through fire and explosion at the ancestral home. The case names Kushtia district and Daulatpur upazila leaders of the banned Chhatra League and the banned Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League. Police had not arrested any accused in the case as of Saturday.

Committee chief Ahmed Mahbub Ul Islam said the investigation is in its final stage and the final report will be sent tomorrow, Sunday.