Case Against MP Nusrat's Father: Two Witnesses Named in the FIR Say They Know Nothing

A case has been filed in Daulatpur, Kushtia, against Abdul Halim, father of National Citizen Party (NCP) joint convener and reserved women's seat MP Nusrat Tabassum Jyoti, on allegations of vandalising a home, assault, looting and grabbing land. Three people are named as witnesses in the first information report, but two of them have said they know nothing about the case.

Idris Ali, 67, a resident of the Bagowan area of Mathurapur union in the upazila, filed the case at Daulatpur police station on Saturday morning (14 November). Abdul Halim is the only named accused in the case. Another eight to ten unnamed people have also been made accused.

According to the case statement, about five years ago Idris Ali bought four and a quarter kathas of land from two brothers of Abdul Halim, built a house there and began living there with his family.

The statement alleges that, following a dispute over the land, Abdul Halim and his associates attacked the house with local weapons on 13 September last year. The fence, doors and windows, tin roof and furniture of the house were vandalised, causing damage of about two and a half lakh taka. When Idris resisted, he and his wife were beaten, and goods worth about one and a half lakh taka, including three bedsteads and ten bundles of tin, were looted from the house, the statement alleges.

The statement further says that when Idris sought justice over the incident, a case was instead filed against him. He had to serve time in jail in that case. After being released on bail, he learned that his purchased land had been occupied. Suffering from insecurity, he left the area with his family. He also stated in the case that he could not file a case for a long time out of fear.

Visiting the area on Sunday, reporters spoke with case witnesses Kalam Hossain, 70, and Halim Hossain, 50. They said they have no idea even about the incident in connection with which they were made witnesses. Attempts were made to contact the third witness, Liton Hossain, 30, but his statement could not be obtained.

Witness Kalam Hossain said: 'I know nothing about the case Idris Ali has filed as the complainant. I learned today that I have been made the number one witness in that case.' He added that Idris Ali left the village in mid-August after the 2024 mass uprising, and that he did not keep much track of him afterwards. His wife is ill and he has been busy caring for her, he said. Idris bought land from Abdul Halim's brothers and lived there, and later they themselves left the area, he said.

The other witness, Halim Hossain, said: 'I learned this morning that I have been made a witness in the case. I know nothing about this case. I work in government service and stay outside. I cannot even say what incident is mentioned in the case.'

A visit to the land mentioned in the case statement found lipia grass, used as cattle feed, being grown there. No house or homestead was visible on the land. Local residents, however, said Idris Ali once lived there with his family. They also said Abdul Halim's brothers had sold land to Idris.

The complainant, Idris Ali, said: 'I could not say anything for so long out of fear. Now I felt I needed to file a case to protect myself. I want my land back. I bought the land from Abdul Halim's brothers. There was a dispute with Halim over the purchased land. Later I left the area because of their oppression. I now live in a neighbouring village.' His wife also said they filed the case to get their purchased land back and could not take any step for a long time out of fear.

Denying the allegations, Abdul Halim said Idris had bought land from them in seven parts, but he started living by force at one specific place. After he left, his land has remained as it was. He left the area after the July mass uprising, and his purchased land lies separately in different parts, Halim said.

On the allegation of vandalism and attack on 13 September last year, Abdul Halim said Idris was not even in the area at that time, so how could he have attacked him. On 16 September last year a man named Jalal Uddin filed a case at Daulatpur police station against Idris over crop cutting, in which he had no involvement, he said. He also claimed he knows nothing about these allegations.

Expressing fear of a link between the case and the fire at his own house, Abdul Halim further said that if he had wanted to make Idris an accused in the fire incident at his house, he would have named him. He questioned why this case was filed suddenly after the fire at his house after all this time. The case may have been filed at someone's instigation to harass him and obstruct the fire case, he feared. A case has been filed, the administration will investigate, whatever is to happen under the law will happen, and he has respect for the law, he added.

The NCP has claimed the case is motivated and baseless. The party's central committee media secretary Yasir Arafat said: 'This is clearly a motivated case.' The man whose home was burned by Awami League people now faces a case brought by bringing in a person from somewhere, he commented. He believes there is a kind of collusion by the administration here. Bringing forward a fabricated allegation from a year ago, today's case has been filed, he said, adding that they will protest the incident and will not accept this case because it is baseless.

Notably, a fire broke out late on Wednesday night (11 November) at Nusrat Tabassum's ancestral home in Bagowan village of Daulatpur upazila. Nusrat filed a case at Daulatpur police station over the incident, alleging an attempt to kill family members through fire and explosions. Leaders of the banned Chhatra League and the activity-banned Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League at Kushtia district and Daulatpur upazila levels were made accused in that case.

On Thursday (12 November), the Home Ministry formed a four-member investigation committee into the fire and directed it to submit its report within three days. The committee is headed by Ahmed Mahbub-ul-Islam, deputy director (deputy secretary) of Kushtia district local government. The other members are Major Asrarul Haque, additional director (operations) of the BGB's Kushtia sector, Delowar Hossain, additional superintendent of police of Kushtia (Bheramara circle), and Wadud Hossain, assistant director of Kushtia Fire Service and Civil Defence. The committee's three-day deadline ends today, Sunday. The three-day deadline set for investigating the case against Abdul Halim also ends today, Sunday.