Milestone School and College
Lamentation over Milestone tragedy and next course of action
The entire nation is shocked and horrified by the tragic plane crash at Milestone School and College, raising concerns about how safe and secure their children are at schools and colleges. Judging by the scale and extent of the accident, it is needless to say that no, they are not safe at all—this incident is living proof of that. Had the incident occurred just half an hour later, many children and teenagers might have survived; but cruel fate struck just moments before they would have left for home, climbing onto the laps of their parents or guardians, chatting away. It happened precisely when the teachers, as per their daily routine, were lining them up and preparing them to return home in an orderly manner—a most unfortunate event in recent memory. In today’s newspaper, I saw a gentleman standing in a daze holding a photograph—he had found his child, but his wife who came to pick up the child was missing.
Students must not become tools for interest of any particular group
The student community is the most vibrant and dynamic part of a nation. Among them resides idealism, the courage to stand against injustice, and a spontaneous attitude to devote themselves to change. They are not merely a specific age group, but can emerge as messengers of transformation. In our country’s history, the student movement has played a glorious role. A glance through the pages of history shows that students led many significant movements in Bangladesh, including the Bengali language movement and the struggle for independence. They were the sentinels of the nation, standing for truth and justice.
State initiative essential to alleviate trauma of children injured in plane crash
The entire nation has been traumatised by the incident in which 32 people were killed and 165 injured when a plane crashed at the Diabari Milestone School and College in the capital. For two days, many have written on social media that they have been unable to sleep properly. It has also been reported that many children are getting scared just hearing the sound of a plane flying overhead. In such a situation, think about the students of Milestone School and College. They have witnessed such a horrific accident in front of their eyes. They have seen the death of dear friends. Not only the injured, but also those who are physically healthy without any injury, who were away from the incident, but are students of that school, their mental state can easily be understood. In such a situation, as much as extra care from the family is needed to remove the trauma of the students of that school, it is equally urgent for the state to take initiative to keep them mentally well.
Why this dirty politics over a tragic air crash?
On 21 July, when lifeless bodies and severely burned children were being pulled from the rubble at Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Uttara, law enforcement personnel were frantically engaged in rescue operations, ambulances were rushing the injured to hospitals, and doctors and nurses were doing their utmost to treat these pain-stricken children—at that very moment, a number of politicians showed up at hospitals, crowding the premises. Their presence further intensified the congestion, making it difficult to transport the injured. A wave of criticism instantly erupted on social media. Many people asked: What were the politicians doing at the hospital at such a time? Were they there for publicity?