Nation mourns Dhaka school jet crash victims
NN Online:
Bangladesh is observing a nationwide day of mourning following the tragic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft into Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Diabari, which claimed the lives of at least 27 people, most of them students, and left dozens injured.
On Tuesday, the national flag was lowered to half-mast across all government, semi-government, autonomous, and educational institutions. The mourning is also being observed at private buildings and Bangladeshi diplomatic missions abroad.
Special prayers are being held across mosques, temples, churches, and other places of worship, organised by the government in coordination with political and social organisations to honour the deceased.
The crash occurred on Monday during class hours when an F-7 BGI training aircraft plummeted onto the school campus, causing fatal burn injuries to many students inside the classrooms. The death toll rose swiftly within a day as more victims succumbed to their injuries at hospitals.
In response to the disaster, all programmes under the ongoing “July Reawakening” movement, which commemorates last year’s mass uprising, have been suspended for three days. Several other scheduled state events have also been postponed.
A programme to mark National Fisheries Week, originally set for Tuesday morning at the China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Centre, has been rescheduled for the same time on Wednesday.
The government has assured full support for the injured and the families of the deceased. The Chief Advisor’s Office (CAO) confirmed that efforts are underway to identify all victims. DNA testing is being conducted for bodies that remain unidentified.
Injured individuals are receiving advanced medical care at various hospitals in Dhaka, and all treatment costs are being borne by the state, the CAO added.