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The Palli Bidyut Samity has ruled out an electrical short circuit as the cause of the fire at the ancestral home of National Citizen Party (NCP) Joint Convener and reserved-seat MP Nusrat Tabassum in Kushtia.
The development has raised further questions about the circumstances surrounding the fire, which broke out shortly after midnight on November 12 at her family home in Bagoyan village of Daulatpur upazila.
The incident initially sparked allegations of a petrol bomb attack. Nusrat and NCP leaders alleged that political opponents were behind the incident.
However, the Home Minister initially said preliminary findings suggested that an electrical short circuit might have caused the blaze.
According to the electricity authorities, the fire did not originate from an electrical short circuit. This contradicts the initial assessment presented by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed in Parliament on Thursday, when he said faulty electrical wiring could have triggered the blaze.
The fire broke out around 12:20am on November 12 at the MP’s ancestral home in Bagoyan village, under Mathurapur Union of Daulatpur upazila.
The tin-roofed, semi-concrete house sustained extensive damage, with five rooms reportedly gutted. Two goats kept inside the property also died.
Allegations of Arson
Nusrat Tabassum alleged that unidentified attackers hurled petrol bombs at her family home. NCP leaders also accused political opponents of carrying out the attack.
The lawmaker claimed that threatening messages had been posted on social media before the incident and that she had received threats over the phone.
However, the Home Minister said preliminary investigations had found no evidence of petrol bomb use. He cited the absence of explosive marks on the walls and the lack of eyewitness accounts supporting the allegation.
Investigation Underway
The government has ordered a joint investigation involving the police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Fire Service and Civil Defence, and the local administration to determine whether the fire was accidental or deliberate.
The Fire Service’s preliminary assessment reportedly indicated the possibility of deliberate arson, while investigators are examining available photographs, CCTV footage and other evidence.
Meanwhile, Nusrat Tabassum filed a case with Daulatpur Police Station on Thursday night, accusing eight named individuals and 25–30 unidentified people of involvement in the incident.
The accused include leaders and activists of the Chhatra League, Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League.
Police said the investigation was ongoing, and appropriate legal action would be taken based on the findings.
The exact cause of the fire has yet to be conclusively established.