NN Online:
The government has constituted a nine-member inquiry commission to investigate the Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka.
A gazette notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Sunday night (July 27) confirmed the formation of the commission, which will be chaired by former secretary AKM Zafar Ullah Khan. The panel has been instructed to submit its report within four weeks.
Members of the commission include:
Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) M Sayed Hossain, former Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Administration)
One additional secretary each from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, and Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief
The Divisional Commissioner of Dhaka
Urban planner Professor Adil Muhammad Khan
Professor Md Ashiqur Rahman, Mechanical Engineering Department, BUET
Barrister Ashraf Ali
The office of the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner will provide administrative support to the commission.
The commission’s mandate includes investigating the causes, context, and accountability related to the crash, assessing the casualties and injuries among students, teachers, and civilians, and evaluating the full extent of physical and material damage.
It will also examine the legality of constructing institutions like Milestone School near airport zones, assess safety standards of the flight path, and determine compliance with aviation and construction regulations.
Furthermore, the commission will make recommendations to prevent such incidents in the future, covering training flight safety, urban planning within flying zones, and emergency response measures.
The commission has been granted authority to visit any site and summon individuals as necessary to aid its inquiry.
The tragic crash occurred on July 21, when a Bangladesh Air Force fighter aircraft crashed onto the Milestone School campus, killing at least 35 people and injuring 36 others who are currently receiving treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
