MP Nusrat Tabassum’s House in Kushtia Set on Fire, Petrol Bombs Thrown
A devastating midnight fire broke out at the ancestral home of National Citizen Party (NCP) leader and reserved women’s seat MP Nusrat Tabassum in Bagowan village under Kushtia’s Daulatpur upazila. Occurring past midnight on Wednesday, the blaze completely gutted five out of eight rooms of the tin-shed house and resulted in the tragic death of two domestic goats. Firefighters rushed to the scene upon receiving the news and successfully extinguished the flames by around 1:50 AM. Fortunately, no human casualties or burn injuries were reported among the MP’s family, as her parents reside safely in a separate three-story building located 20 to 30 yards away from the site of the incident.
The NCP and MP Nusrat Tabassum have strongly alleged that the incident was a planned petrol bomb attack, directly pointing fingers at Awami League perpetrators. Following the attack, Nusrat Tabassum posted on her personal Facebook account, firmly asserting that her voice could not be suppressed through such acts of terror and declaring her commitment to press forward with the slogan ‘Inquilab Zindabad.’ Furthermore, NCP Senior Joint Member Secretary Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyian issued a strong condemnation of the attack. Simultaneously, the NCP media cell released an official statement on social media labeling the arson as a deliberate act of sabotage executed by political adversaries.
During a press conference held at the scene on Thursday afternoon, Nusrat Tabassum voiced her deep anger and serious concern over the country’s law and order situation. Expressing her grave apprehension, she stated, ‘Just as ordinary citizens’ lives are unsafe in the country, the lives of members of parliament are also in extreme peril.’ Characterizing the occurrence of four consecutive midnight explosions as alarming, she added, ‘Responsible authorities should resign if they fail to ensure security.’ She also remarked that standing in parliament to deny the reality of the situation cannot conceal the severe deterioration of public safety across the nation.
Reviewing CCTV footage, Nusrat Tabassum revealed that four consecutive explosions occurred at her residence precisely at 12:15:30 AM on Wednesday, pointing toward a petrol bomb attack. She expressed strong dissatisfaction over the delayed and inactive response of the local police, alleging that officers arrived nearly an hour after being informed and failed to collect evidence even 12 hours post-incident. Additionally, she pointed out that the absence of a dedicated fire service unit in Daulatpur upazila caused crucial operational delays, which led to the majority of the house being reduced to ashes.
The NCP leader disclosed that before this attack, she had received a phone threat on October 28 and subsequently filed a General Diary (GD) at Kalabagan police station in Dhaka. Despite filing the GD, threats persisted, culminating in a warning post published from the Facebook account of a fugitive Kushtia district Chhatra League leader just three hours before the attack. Becoming emotional while viewing the gutted house, Nusrat recalled growing up there with her brother. She emphasized that the incident extends far beyond her personal security, describing it as a calculated warning directed against the broader ‘July Movement’ and its supporters.
Nusrat Tabassum currently serves as a Member of Parliament for the reserved women’s seat in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad. Beyond her parliamentary duties, she holds influential roles within her party as the Joint Convener of the NCP and a key member of its highest policymaking body, the Political Board. The press conference was attended by her father, Abdul Hamid Tom Master, NCP Media Editor Yasir Arafat, along with several other central leaders, activists, and family members, all of whom demanded an immediate investigation into the sabotage.
