A heated commotion broke out in Parliament on Thursday during the fourth session of the 13th Parliament over a fire incident at the ancestral home of Nusrat Tabassum, lawmaker for reserved women’s seats in Daulatpur, Kushtia.
The incident triggered an intense debate between opposition leaders and the government regarding national law and order, police procedures, and preliminary investigation findings.
The debate commenced at the start of the sitting when Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam raised the issue on a point of order while Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed was absent from the house.
Nahid said opposition members had been in contact with local residents since the previous night. He strongly questioned statements by the local police officer-in-charge (OC) claiming no evidence of petrol bombs was found at the site.
Nahid noted that he had spoken directly with the superintendent of police (SP) and pointed out that no forensic team had visited the spot until noon, questioning how the OC could rule out a bomb attack prior to a forensic investigation.
Highlighting wider security concerns, Nahid Islam noted that two days earlier, Hasib Al Islam, a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, was attacked in Moulvibazar without any arrests after 48 hours.
He added that cocktail explosions and petrol bomb incidents were occurring nationwide, including inside Dhaka University.
Recalling an earlier statement by the Home Minister that campus explosions did not signify a breakdown of law and order, Nahid Islam asked whether setting fire to an MP’s house would similarly be dismissed.
Minister cites electrical fault, opposition alleges foul play
Upon arriving, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said preliminary investigations indicated a high probability of an electrical short circuit at the Daulatpur village home of Nusrat Tabassum.
He assured Parliament that an investigation was underway to confirm whether the fire resulted from an electrical fault or constituted arson.
Standing on a point of order for a second time, Nahid Islam challenged the minister’s statement, citing social media video footage indicating the fire spread after something was thrown from the outside.
He rejected claims regarding the property’s condition, emphasizing that the house was not abandoned nor a shelter for livestock, but a residence where relatives of Nusrat Tabassum and the caretaker’s family were present on the night of the incident, risking human lives.
He revealed that Nusrat Tabassum had received threats and filed a general diary (GD) two days prior, proving a pattern of hostility.
Claiming social media showed celebrations by fallen fascist forces and alleging that the Kushtia district Awami League admitted responsibility, Nahid Islam accused the minister of giving perpetrators indemnity through full denial instead of providing a timeline for arrests.
Joint probe underway
Responding to the allegations, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed mentioned he provided detailed facts supported by data, photographs, and video evidence.
He specified that the fire occurred at 12:20am, noting that Nusrat Tabassum was in Dhaka while her parents lived 20 metres away in a three-storey house, 7.4 kilometres from the border.
Salahuddin clarified that people did not reside in that specific house at the time and that two goats were inside.
The minister informed Parliament that police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and fire service personnel promptly extinguished the blaze. Authorities collected photographs of the walls, floor, electrical wiring, lights, and meter, alongside eyewitness statements.
Salahuddin announced that a joint investigation committee involving civil administration, police, BGB, and the fire service was actively investigating.
He displayed documents before Parliament, adding he was unaware of any past parliamentary record of presenting evidence in such a detailed manner, and questioned why conclusions of arson were reached before the probe finished.
Salahuddin noted that if a petrol bomb were thrown, physical marks would remain, which investigators are currently examining. He confirmed that a GD was registered at the police station regarding the fire and expressed readiness to address the MP’s earlier GD.
Emphasizing that the government aims to break from past practices of assigning immediate blanket blame, he promised appropriate legal action if sabotage or arson is proven, or formal reporting if the fire was accidental.
The exchange triggered significant commotion among Jamaat-led 11-party alliance members, including Hannan Masud, who repeatedly stood up during speeches.
Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal and the Speaker called for calm, urging adherence to parliamentary decorum and confirming that legal measures will follow the GD and joint investigation, with the report to be presented in Parliament if decided.
