Nusrat’s house set on fire in Kushtia in suspected petrol bomb attack
Collected Photo
Amid a series of acts of sabotage across the country, the house of Nusrat Tabassum, a lawmaker from the National Citizen Party (NCP), was set on fire in Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia.
Locals said the four-story house caught fire following a loud explosion around midnight on Wednesday.
Nusrat alleged that petrol bombs were hurled at her family home, setting it ablaze. Her fellow activists from the July uprising have blamed the ousted Awami League for the attack.
Nusrat, a student of Dhaka University, was a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which led the movement that brought down the government of Sheikh Hasina in 2024. She serves as a joint convener of the NCP, a party formed at the initiative of young participants in the movement. She was nominated by the NCP for a reserved seat for women in the 13th Parliament.
Nusrat was the first to report the attack on her family home in a Facebook post on Wednesday night.
She wrote, “Petrol bombs have been thrown at the house. I do not know who did it.
“If you think you can silence me this way, you are mistaken. I will continue my work through the flames. Long live the revolution.”
Nusrat’s ancestral home is in the Dangmardanga area of Bagoan village in Daulatpur upazila. Her parents and other family members live there.
Locals said a fire broke out at a single-story tin-roofed house. Fire Service personnel arrived at the scene and brought the blaze under control around 2:00am.
Shah Alam, caretaker of the house, said something resembling a bomb exploded and landed on the tin roof. The fire spread throughout the house within moments.
Nusrat told journalists that attempts were made to set the house on fire four times in quick succession between 12:15 am and 12:16 am. Around eight nearby houses, furniture and several livestock animals were also damaged or burned in the incident. Several people, including children and members of the caretaker’s family, were injured.
Nusrat’s parents live in a separate three-story building nearby. That building was not affected by the fire.
Nusrat’s father, Mohammad Abdul Halim, said the building where they live shook following the sound of the explosion. They were terrified by the incident. Hearing their screams, local residents rushed to the scene.
Neighbor Rubel Hossain said they rushed to the spot after hearing a loud explosion and screams, where they saw the fire burning.
Police could not immediately confirm the cause of the fire.
Khaledur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Daulatpur Police Station, said police were collecting and analyzing CCTV footage. A crime scene management team from Dhaka was also on its way to the scene to collect necessary evidence. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire. Legal action will be taken after the investigation is completed.
Following ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s announcement that she would return to the country in December, her party, the Awami League, whose activities are currently banned, has become active. Over the past few days, crude bomb explosions and vehicle arson attacks have been reported in different parts of the country.
The attack on Nusrat’s house comes amid a strong warning from Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed against acts of sabotage.
Besides blaming the Awami League for the incident, Nusrat’s fellow activists from the July movement have also accused the home minister of failing to prevent such attacks.
NCP Convener and lawmaker Nahid Islam wrote on Facebook, “The fallen terrorist fascist forces are targeting the leaders and participants of the July Revolution. When a city burns, places of worship cannot remain untouched. Today it is me, tomorrow it is you, and the day after tomorrow everyone else will be attacked one by one.”
NCP Joint Convener Monira Sharmin expressed her anger, writing, “Who hurled petrol bombs at the house of Nusrat Tabassum, one of the key coordinators of the July Mass Uprising and a member of parliament? What is the honorable home minister doing?”
Another NCP Joint Convener, Mahmuda Mitu, blamed the Awami League for the incident, writing, “Do you think you have achieved something great? We did something truly great in July by driving terrorists like you out of the country.”
“Even Sheikh Hasina’s body will never return to this country,” she wrote.
