It is however still not clear whether anyone from inside or outside the house set the fire, said sources close to the four-member police team probing the incident.

Members of the probe committee interrogated the five policemen, who guard the house, and people of the neighbourhood yesterday evening. Details about the interrogation could not be learnt.

The police headquarters formed the committee on the day of the incident with Deputy Inspector General (Criminal Investigation Department) Zabed Patwari at the helm. The other members are Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shahidul Islam of Detective Branch, DC (North) Obaidur Rahman and CID Special Superintendent Ruhul Amin.

The committee earlier visited the house Monday evening and yesterday morning and gathered evidence. "We've sent the evidence to the CID for examination," DC Obaidur Rahman told The Daily Star.

It will submit its reports by May 7.

Police have yet to arrest anyone in connection with Sunday's fire that gutted furniture, cash, clothes, books and other documents on the ground and first floor of the house.

Mahi B Chowdhury, son of the former president and a lawmaker from Munshiganj-2 constituency, filed a case with Gulshan Police Station Sunday night.

"He accused unknown people of deliberately setting fire to their house with chemical substances to kill the family members," the duty officer of Gulshan Police Station told The Daily Star last night.

Meantime, the three-member probe team of the fire brigade headed by Deputy Director (Operations) Selim Newaz Bhuiyan will submit its report tomorrow to their director general.

According to sources at the department, firefighters are convinced that the fire did not originate from short-circuit, gas or mosquito coil.

"On examining evidence collected from the house, talking with the police guards and other people, and checking electricity and gas lines, they are sure the fire did not begin from any of those three common sources," said a source in the fire brigade.

MAHI IN PARLIAMENT
Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) lawmaker Mahi B Chowdhury in parliament yesterday demanded that a parliamentary body investigate the fire incident at his house.

He called for the government to probe the 'crime' with foreign explosives experts, involving in the process the United Nations. Mahi also demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter.

Placing a five-point demand, the opposition lawmaker urged the House to adopt a motion condemning what he said was a plot to kill a former president and a sitting lawmaker.

"This is not a mere accident, rather a conspiracy to kill us," he said, taking the floor on a point of order.

State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar told the House that the government will take appropriate steps once the investigation reports on the incident are available.