Advisers, CA’s Press Secretary finally leave Milestone School after 9 hours
NN Online:
After being confined for over nine hours by agitated students, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul, Education Adviser CR Abrar, and Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam finally exited the Milestone School and College compound in Uttara’s Diabari area on Tuesday evening.
According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Uttara Zone Deputy Commissioner Md Mohidul Islam, the trio entered the campus around 10:00 am and left at 7:37 pm. They later proceeded to the nearby Dhaka Metro Rail depot before departing the area.
Earlier in the afternoon, DC Mohidul had told reporters that the three had exited via a rear gate around 4:00 pm with police assistance. However, it was later confirmed that they remained inside the school premises until the evening.
The officials had gone to the school to address student concerns following a tragic Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) training jet crash, which claimed numerous lives—including students of Milestone. But tensions flared soon after their arrival, with students accusing authorities of spreading misinformation about the casualties.
Demonstrators surrounded the advisers, chanting slogans like “Fake! Fake!” and demanded full disclosure of the deceased and injured. The situation escalated, forcing the advisers and press secretary to move to a conference room in Building No. 5, where they held talks with a group of student representatives.
Outside, hundreds of students continued their protest, demanding a verified list of casualties, identification of all victims, and adequate compensation for affected families.
Additional forces from the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Public Order Management (POM), and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) were deployed and entered the school compound around 3:15 pm.
At approximately 3:30 pm, the advisers attempted to leave the premises under police escort. But as they approached the main gate, a crowd of students blocked the road near the Diabari roundabout, forcing them to retreat back into the compound.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Monday’s BAF crash has risen to 27, with eight more victims dying at the Burn Institute late Monday night. However, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported 31 fatalities.
“A total of 78 injured are currently admitted across four hospitals. Among the deceased are 25 children, one pilot, and one teacher. Twenty bodies have already been handed over to their families,” said Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Dr Sayedur Rahman during a press briefing at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery at 8:00 am Tuesday.