BanglaPress Desk: Describing the petrol bomb attack on her family home in Kushtia as a premeditated act, Member of Parliament Nusrat Tabassum stated that they cannot be suppressed through intimidation or infliction of suffering. She also revealed that she had received multiple threatening calls from spam numbers prior to the attack.
She shared these details during a press conference held on Thursday (November 12).
Nusrat Tabassum stated that she received a threatening call from a spam number around 9:30 PM on October 28. She had received several such threatening calls previously as well. Last Tuesday, she filed a General Diary (GD) at the Kalabagan Police Station in Dhaka, detailing the entire situation. She continued to receive threats even after filing the GD.
She alleged that approximately three hours before the attack on her home yesterday, a warning post appeared on the Facebook account of the absconding president of the Kushtia District Chhatra League—a post she characterized as a direct threat.
Regarding the arson, Nusrat Tabassum noted that, according to CCTV footage, four consecutive explosions occurred at her residence at 12:15:30 AM. Based on the nature and characteristics of the blasts, it appears to be a petrol bomb attack; however, she refrained from making a definitive claim, noting that the matter is subject to investigation.
The Member of Parliament alleged that the police arrived at the scene nearly an hour after being notified. While she acknowledged that the police provided whatever security they could, she pointed out that no forensic evidence had been collected even 12 hours after the incident. Furthermore, the absence of a local Fire Service station in Daulatpur Upazila caused a delay in the arrival of fire engines, by which time almost everything in the house had been consumed by the fire.
She also refuted claims circulating on social media and in some mainstream media outlets that the house was "abandoned." Nusrat Tabassum clarified that the property was not abandoned; it was home to a vulnerable family who had been associated with them for about five to six years. This family had become an integral part of their own family and was responsible for looking after the house.
She added that she grew up in this house, as did her younger brother, and that her parents had built their life and home there. This house, built by her grandfather, serves as their family home. It housed their livestock farm, accommodated visiting relatives, and was home to this vulnerable family. During the attack, a child in the family was injured, and many of their livestock perished.
Expressing concern over the state of law and order in the country, Nusrat Tabassum remarked that their lives are just as insecure as those of ordinary citizens. She drew a parallel between the injury of an innocent driver in a crude bomb (cocktail) attack at Dhaka University and the injury of a child during a midnight petrol bomb attack on her own home.
She asserted that those who fail to fulfill their duties should step down from their positions. Merely making statements in Parliament cannot negate the reality that the country’s law and order situation is deteriorating.
Nusrat Tabassum noted that, to her knowledge, no such incident has ever occurred at the residence of an opposition Member of Parliament in the past. The fact that four consecutive petrol bomb attacks were carried out against an MP’s home in the middle of the night will remain a significant marker for the events of July and for everyone associated with that period.
Urging law enforcement agencies to take swift action—noting that nearly 12 hours have already passed—she emphasized the need to promptly collect evidence and conduct an investigation to identify those responsible. She added that she does not seek mere assurances from law enforcement, asserting that they already possess sufficient evidence and clues.
Addressing Home Minister Salahuddin, she expressed her expectation that appropriate action would be taken. She further demanded that the Home Minister clarify the extent of the state’s responsibility in such incidents.
Speaking on behalf of the NCP, she voiced concerns not only for her own safety but also for the security of ordinary citizens across the country. Nusrat Tabassum declared that such attacks would not succeed in silencing them; they have taken to the streets in the past to voice their demands, and they will continue to do so in the future.
When asked whether the attack was premeditated, she suggested that it could very well have been a calculated act. She pointed out that the law and order situation is already fragile—noting, for instance, that last month, three buses were robbed on the very route leading to her home. Ultimately, she remarked, a pervasive sense of insecurity exists all around. Regarding the threats received via spam calls, she stated that this could be the work of a single group, or perhaps multiple groups acting in concert. She added that she intends to inform the Kalabagan Police Station about the matter.
On the subject of taking legal action, the Member of Parliament said that they would go to the police station to file a case following the press conference. The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the local police station has informed her that a forensic team is en route from Dhaka. However, she expressed skepticism regarding how much evidence might still remain 13 hours after the incident.
Referring to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Nusrat Tabassum remarked that one cannot make a comeback after orchestrating such destruction and burning down people’s homes. She further commented that the very idea of returning to power—after the loss of 1,400 lives and the streets being left stained with blood—is an act of extreme foolishness.
