DHAKA,   – Nusrat Jahan Rafi, a student of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, was set on fire as per the “instruction” of the madrasa principal Siraj Ud Dowla, said Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).

“Nusrat was set on fire at the instruction of madrasa principal Siraj Ud Dowla. We have so far found involvement of 13 people in the killing. Of them, four were mainly involved in the murder,” PBI chief Bonoj Kumar Mazumder, also Deputy Inspector General of police, told a briefing at PBI’s headquarters in Dhanmondi today.

Among the 13 people, four people, including two girls were directly involved in setting fire on Nusrat, he said, adding that a day before the arson attack, one of the accused Nur Uddin met principal of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa Siraj Ud Dowla at the local jail.

“Nuruddin held a meeting at the madrasa’s hostel on April 5 as per the instruction of Siraj Ud Dowla,” said Bonoj.

Seven people, he said, have so far been arrested in connection with Nusrat’s murder. A PBI team is conducting operations to arrest the remaining six, he added.

The arrested were Shahadat Hossain Shamim, Nur Uddin, councilor Maksud Alam, Jobayer Ahmed, Zabed Hossain and Afsar Uddin.

Bonoj said PBI has identified two reasons behind the arson attack on Nusrat–filing case against madrasa principal Siraj Ud Dowla over sexual harassment of Nusrat and her refusal to love offer by one of the arrested persons.

Nusrat lost her battle for life at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital on April 10, five days after she was set on fire at a madrasa in Feni on April 6.