Jet crash: Milestone School students protest in Uttara demanding transparency, justice
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Students of Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Uttara have launched a protest to press home a series of demands, including the accurate disclosure of the names and information of those killed after an Air Force training jet crashed onto their campus.
On Tuesday, students began gathering at the roundabout near the school in Diabari around 9:00 am.
Around 9:45 am, Law Advisor Asif Nazrul arrived at the scene. Upon seeing him, the students reacted with chants of disapproval. They also chanted slogans such as “We want justice” and “Why did our brothers die? We demand answers!”.
When the students later attempted to enter the crash-hit campus, police personnel stopped them.
“We, the students of Milestone, are showing courage by standing up against injustice. Our demands are clear and our position against impunity, neglect, and repressive policies is unwavering,” said protesting student Tahmid Faiyaz.
Another student, Fariha Tabassum, said: “We demand to know why such a massive tragedy occurred. The government must take responsibility for these deaths.”
The six demands raised by the protesting students are:
1. Accurate publication of the names and information of those killed.
2. Publication of a complete and verified list of those injured.
3. An unconditional public apology for military personnel raising their hands against teachers.
4. Compensation from the Air Force for the families of each student who died.
5. Decommissioning of old and risky Air Force planes and replacing them with modern aircraft.
6. Reformation of the Air Force’s training procedures and facilities to ensure a more humane and safer system.
On Monday, an F-7 BGI training aircraft of the Air Force crashed onto the Milestone School and College campus during class hours. Many students inside the classrooms suffered fatal burn injuries.
The death toll has since risen to 27, including 25 children, while another 78 people remain hospitalised.
In the wake of the tragedy, Bangladesh is observing a day of mourning on Tuesday.