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BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has urged the public to remain “calm and united” during the nation’s time of mourning.
“I appeal to all pro-democracy comrades to remain calm and united during this time of national mourning,” he said.
“We need to build a social system based on tolerance and self-restraint to stop divisive conflicts and mob violence. Bangladesh needs to remain united and face every crisis with solidarity.”
He made the remarks in a statement late on Tuesday night. The statement was sent to the media by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, reports bdnews24.com.
On Monday afternoon, an Air Force training fighter jet crashed into the Milestone School and College campus in Dhaka’s Diabari. Over 150 people were injured in the incident, most of them children.
The casualties led to demands for Tuesday's Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams to be postponed. Delays by the Ministry of Education led to the postponement being announced around 3am on Tuesday.
Many students were not aware of the postponement and went to exam centres to sit for the tests.
Afterwards, a group of agitated students entered the Secretariat in the afternoon, demanding the resignation of Education Advisor Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar. Clashes broke out between the protesters and law enforcers, turning the area into a battlefield.
Tarique said, "There are worrying reports of some members of a banned student political organisation creating tension between the public and the police and inciting violence. These groups should refrain from trying to exploit such a tragic moment in Bangladesh's history for their own gain.”
“Instead, we should focus on coming together as a nation and showing compassion and unity. Let our energies be directed towards finding our missing loved ones, accurately accounting for the dead, ensuring the best possible treatment for the injured, and allowing the authorities to conduct a fair investigation to determine the root cause of the plane crash.”
Expressing his condolences to the families of those killed in the Milestone School disaster, he said: “All the feelings and sympathy in our hearts go out to them.”