No protest, but curious onlookers are still crowding Milestone School gates

A curious crowd of onlookers has gathered outside the Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Diabari, the site of a deadly fighter jet crash, but authorities are not allowing them to enter.

People from surrounding areas gathered at the main gate of the school since the morning on Wednesday. However, the gate was blocked from the inside.

No media personnel were allowed entry either, though some have been waiting since 9am.

The main gate has been closed because outsiders “create many problems”, said Md Moniruzzaman Mia, academic director of all branches of Milestone.

He also noted that all educational activities at the institution have been suspended until Thursday in line with a prior announcement.

"A three-day closure is underway. All academic activities are suspended until Thursday. No administrative activities [are taking place] either. [Students’] class exams are suspended too."

A large crowd has formed in front of the school, wanting to know the details of the disaster. Some of them demanded that the details of students who were at the school during the incident be posted at the main gate.

When asked why this was not being done, Moniruzzaman said: "Due to the suddenness of the incident, I have not been able to contact certain people. The college authorities have the data on who was killed and who was injured. The college authorities have shared it with the security forces. And some reliable media outlets also know."

He requested people to refrain from publishing or trusting “exaggerated” information on the topic.

Although the main gate to the school is closed, much of the campus can still be seen from outside. A group of police personnel could be seen sitting outside the school in the circular courtyard where students had been protesting on Tuesday afternoon.

The protesters were pushing for a six-point list of demands, including compensation for those injured and the families of those killed in the plane crash.

The protest was centred on a visit by Law Advisor Asif Nazrul and Education Advisor Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar. The two were stuck inside the school for nine hours amid the unrest.

At one point in the afternoon, the two advisors attempted to leave the campus under police guard but had to turn back as the road was blocked.

Eventually, a flagless government vehicle carrying them left using the road at the metro rail depot around 7:30pm on Tuesday.

Shafiqul Alam, the chief advisor's press secretary, and three others accompanied them. They had also been stuck at the school all day.

Md Mohidul Islam, Uttara Division deputy commissioner for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said at a briefing: "The advisors came to inspect the scene. The students presented various demands. Even after all the demands were accepted, the aggrieved students blocked the road. As such, the advisors could not leave.

"The students were removed from the road in the evening. They left after the situation was brought under control."