The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Nurul Islam, President of Ganatantri Party and nominee of AL-led Mohojote for Noakhali 1 constituency for the upcoming national elections scheduled on 29 December has been seriously burnt in a fire incident at his Lalmatia flat late on Tuesday night and is now fighting for life at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka.

Islam's only son Tomohar Islam alias Puchi, a 35-year-old young man and an executive of a non-government organisation (NGO) died on the spot in the fire.

The wife of the critically injured leader poet Ruby Rahman and his daughter are in the USA and shall return soon after receiving the information.

Nurul Islam is also the leader of the Trade Union Kendra and has a long career in politics. He was a leader of the East Pakistan Students' Union (EPSU) and Vice President of Iqbal Hall (now Sgt.Zahurul Huq Hall) and a veteran of anti-Ayub democratic movement in the 60s.

Islam was also a leader of the class three and class four employees union of the University of Dhaka in late 60s and 70s and a relentless fighter for their just cause.

He is a selfless political element which have made him dear to political workers and leaders.

After finalising Mohajote's nomination in his favour for the Noakhali 1 constituency he and his son had been constantly intimidated over the phone over the last some days.

Schism grew in the jote on the inclusion of JP of Ershad and distribution of seats among components and some of the components including Ganatantri party have either declared or are contemplating to declare secession with the Jote.

Ganatantri Party General Secretary Giasuddin Haider yesterday told the New Nation Correspondent that they were not with the Jote if core questions were not honourably settled and said, "We shall formally announce our decision after holding a presidium meeting shortly."

Islam while in DMCH on Wednesday morning before losing consciousness said, "I was intimidated over phone and my present condition is an act of the fundamentalists."

Islam, who has filed nomination for contesting the upcoming parliament elections from Noakhali-1 constituency, has been kept on life support at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), police and medical sources said.

His party is a component of the Awami League-led grand alliance, one of the power contenders in the December 29 general election being arranged against the backdrop of turmoil in the country's political arena following the 1/11 changeover.

The sources said the fire originated from electric short circuit at about 3:45 AM when the father and the son were fast asleep in their residence on the fourth floor of the multistory building at Lalmatia Imperial Garden.

"In no time, the fire engulfed the entire room, burning both in their beds," says a spot account of the macabre scene.

Nurul Islam's son, Tomohor Islam alias Puchi, 35, was burnt to death instantly.

The injured political leader was first admitted to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and later shifted to the CMH in critical condition.

On information about the predawn fire, firefighters from Mohammadpur rushed to the spot and doused the flames with the help of local people.

They rescued Islam and also recovered the body of Tomohor.

Meanwhile, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam and some other political leaders visited DMCH to see Nurul Islam when he was under treatment there.

Talking to newsmen, Dr Shamanta Lal, head of the burn unit of DMCH, said 40 percent of Nurul Islam's body got burned in the fire. His respiratory organ was also affected.

"He was referred to CMH at about 1:20PM as there is no life support in DMCH burn unit," the physician told reporters.

Ganotantri Party yesterday demanded of the caretaker government to postpone polls in the Noakhali-1 constituency as its president and contestant for the parliament seat suffered critical burn injuries in his home fire. The party demanded investigation into the incident. It suspected the late-night fire as an arson attack that left Nurul Islam severely burnt while his son burnt to death.

"The incident is mysterious as Nurul Islam had received threats over his mobile phone after getting nomination to contest the seat," Azizul Islam, party's advisory council member, told reporters in an impromptu press conference at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

He posed a question if the fire had originated from electric short circuit, why it would have razed through only one flat of the building.

Azizul Islam demanded deferment of voting in the constituency and proper investigation into the incident.

He was later shifted to CMH, said police.

Hasina inquired about his health condition and spent some time beside the critically injured leader.

When asked about Islam's condition, Menon told reporters that his condition is "critical" and he would need better treatment.

Mentioning that Islam had received threats over telephone for few days, he called for a fair investigation into the incident.

"As far as I know, he has no personal enemy as he is really a good man. But his ideology may have created enemies," Menon said.

"Islam had made it known some days back that he was receiving threats over telephone. So, the fire incident should be looked into in-depth," Menon said to reporters.

Nurul Islam and four others have filed nominations in the Noakhali-1 constituency to contest the upcoming national elections.

Golam Quddus, general secretary of Sammilita Sanskritik Jote at first got Awami League's nomination for the seat. But, finally, Nurul Islam got the grand-alliance's ticket after negotiations over seat sharing.

Barrister Mahbubuddin Khokon got the BNP-led four-party alliance nomination while immediate-past BNP MP of the seat Adv Mahbubur Rahman filed nomination as independent candidate. The other independent contestant from the constituency is Din Mohammad, editor of Ganojagoran a vernacular newspaper.

Md Kamruzzaman, Sub-Inspector at Mohammadpur Police Station, told journalists bdnews24.com that the fire broke out in their fourth-floor flat at around 3 AM.

Kamruzzaman quoting Hasibul Hasan, a BBA student and resident of the flat above Islam's, said at around 3AM Hasib and two of his friends were busy with their computer when they heard something fall downstairs with a thud.

Investigating, they found smoke billowing out of one of their windows too, heard someone yelling downstairs, "Fire! Please save us!"

The three friends rushed downstairs, broke open the entrance to the flat, rescued seriously injured Islam and sent him to DMCH. The firefighters also arrived soon after.

Hasan said the firefighters and local people doused the fire and discovered the body of Tomohar from the living room.

The police officer said the drawing-cum-dining room looked totally ravaged. The electric fan, TV set, refrigerator and other gadgets were destroyed.

The refrigerator's compressor might have exploded following the fire that broke out from electrical short-circuit, he said quoting the firemen.

"After I was nominated, unidentified Islamist militants had been intimidating me and my son over telephone, asking me not to contest the polls," Islam said to reporters at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

"Islam was being intimidated by outsiders for quite some time. We demand that the government take steps to initiate an enquiry into the fire incident that occurred early Wednesday," Ganotontree Party president Azizul Islam Khan said to reporters at noon.

There was none else in the house during the incident. Islam's wife poet Ruby Rahman and daughter are in the United States and are rushing home.

Islam in 1991 ran in the general election from Noakhali-1 as an eight-party alliance candidate and marginally lost to the BNP-led four-party alliance contestant.