Will be doubtful of probe’s impartiality after home minister’s remarks: Nusrat Tabassum

Nusrat Tabassum, reserved-seat member of parliament (MP) and leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has said she will remain doubtful about the impartiality of the investigation into the accusation of petrol bomb attack on her ancestral home in Kushtia following the home minister's remarks in parliament.

She made the statement in a Facebook post around midnight on Thursday.

A fire broke out at Nusrat’s ancestral home in Kushtia on Wednesday night. Five rooms with tin roofs were gutted in the blaze, and two goats were burned to death. Nusrat described the incident as sabotage, saying she believed it was caused by a petrol bomb attack. She blamed the Awami League (activities banned in the country) for the fire.

In parliament on Thursday, opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed engaged in a heated exchange of words twice over the alleged petrol bomb attack on Nusrat’s home. The home minister's second statement sparked a brief uproar and tension in the House.

Nahid Islam claimed that four petrol bombs had been thrown at Nusrat’s house, setting it on fire. However, citing a preliminary investigation report, Salahuddin Ahmed said investigators suspected that no petrol bombs had been used.

He noted that the likelihood of an electrical short circuit was very high due to old wiring. However, he added that the government would take action accordingly if a further investigation found evidence of sabotage.

In her Facebook post, Nusrat said she and her family had been victims of sabotage. She added that, amid everything that had happened throughout the day, she had also witnessed the use of parliamentary procedures to downplay a crime.

She expressed deep gratitude to the many well-wishers who had stood by her, regardless of their political affiliations or professions.

Nusrat said she still hopes for a fair investigation. However she added, “After the home minister’s remarks today, I will remain doubtful about the neutrality of the investigation.”

Nusrat said that while an investigation is ongoing, the home minister stands in Parliament and declares what the report might look like. If the home minister himself indicates what the report should be, who would dare do otherwise, she questioned.

Nusrat remarked that the home minister has proven to be a 'complete failure' in discharging the duties of his ministry.

In her post, she also alleged that the way the authorities handled the incident showed how fragile citizens’ security was. After the fire broke out, she tried calling the national emergency service number 999 but could not get through. Then she had to contact the police personally.

By the time firefighters arrived, three-quarters of the house had already been gutted. She added that the firefighters did not bring any equipment to preserve evidence and various pieces of evidence were washed away with water.

The fire-damaged, water-soaked house remained unattended for 13 hours before forensic experts arrived. Nusrat questioned that if this is how evidence of an explosion is collected, how much evidence in crimes like rape or murder must be destroyed simply due to the lack of proper preservation procedures.