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The National Citizen Party (NCP) has announced nationwide protests and rallies to condemn an arson attack on the ancestral home of its political council member and Member of Parliament Nusrat Tabassum in Kushtia.
The programme was announced in an urgent press release issued on Thursday (November 12).
Signed by NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen, the statement instructed all district, metropolitan, thana and upazila units to organise rallies and processions in their respective areas as soon as possible.
The party also urged its leaders and activists to participate spontaneously in the programmes.
Nusrat, one of the coordinators of the July uprising, alleged that unidentified assailants hurled petrol bombs at her family’s house in Bagowan village of Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia at around 11:45pm on Wednesday.
The attack reportedly left five rooms of the tin-shed house damaged by fire. Several family members, including her parents, were injured.
After travelling from Dhaka to the scene and reviewing CCTV footage, Nusrat said a man had attempted to set fire to the house four times from the rear side.
In a Facebook post, she said she did not know who was behind the attack. However, the NCP blamed the banned Awami League for the incident.
NCP Media Secretary Yasir Arafat said the party suspected that individuals linked to the Awami League might have been involved.
Police have not confirmed the cause of the fire, and no arrests have been reported so far.
Daulatpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khaledur Rahman said the fire broke out in a room used as a cowshed.
Nusrat’s family and local residents suspect that petrol or another flammable substance may have been used, possibly over a previous dispute.
Several political figures have condemned the incident and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
Dr Tasnim Jara, in a Facebook post on Thursday, demanded the immediate arrest of those involved and expressed solidarity with Nusrat.
Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman also condemned the attack, describing it as cowardly and calling for the perpetrators to be identified and punished.
