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?

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir came under severe criticism for their visits.

Across social media, people voiced a simple but firm plea: “Please don’t politicize this tragedy. This is not the time for politics.” But the reality was far from that. The aftermath of the tragedy has turned into a full-blown political battle online, with opposing camps blaming each other. One side is questioning why a training aircraft was flying over a populated area. Another side is asking why such old planes are still being used for training. Critics of the ruling party claim the planes were purchased during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, while Awami League supporters say they were bought during Khaleda Zia’s government.

Meanwhile, the city witnessed heightened tension throughout the day. When Legal Adviser Asif Nazrul visited the crash site, protesting students at Milestone School confronted him. Protests demanding the resignation of the Education Adviser erupted at the Secretariat. Scuffles broke out between students and law enforcement, leaving many students injured. Prior to this, there had already been demands for the resignation of the Cabinet Secretary and the Health Adviser, leading to heated exchanges between different factions.

Seeing all this, many citizens expressed their frustration in comment sections and on social media: “Politics in this country runs over dead bodies.” Some began labeling the tragedy as part of a foreign conspiracy. Others questioned whether this would’ve happened at all if the government had allowed proper elections. Some fear this unrest will continue until the next election. Others even speculated that the Awami League is trying to stir chaos to reclaim the political spotlight. Some went a step further, claiming this is how the Awami League re-emerges.

In summary, we are witnessing a deeply chaotic and emotionally charged situation. Throughout this editorial, we have used the phrase “many are saying”—not out of vagueness, but to reflect a collective public sentiment we are trying to understand. But our core question remains:
Why must such horrific tragedies be hijacked for dirty politics?
When will we be free from this cycle?

When young children lose their lives in such a horrifying manner, and others lie in pain on hospital beds, can we not show a little more humanity? A little more patience and compassion?