Grief gives way to rage at Milestone
Grief, sorrow, and collective rage gripped the capital yesterday as people tried to come to terms with the one of the worst aviation disasters in the country's history.
Protests erupted in front of Milestone School and College in Uttara's Diabari in phases and were dealt with heavy-handedness by the law enforcers.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Grieving students protesting at the Diabari circle were flanked by riot police carrying tear gas and truncheons.
The government's attempt to quell the emotional outpouring backfired, and two advisers and a section of the chief adviser's press wing were confined by students inside the college for over nine hours.
The morning began with protests by the students, demanding justice for victims of Monday's fatal aircraft crash, and asserting that mere condolences or expressions of sorrow are insufficient.
Their six-point demand includes an accurate list of the names of deceased and a verified list of the injured. They also demanded that the families of the deceased receive compensation from the air force.
They also urged the retirement of unsafe aircraft, the use of safer planes, and a humane overhaul of training procedures and zones.
Besides, the students called for a public apology over the assault on teachers and students by military personnel at the crash site on Monday, videos of which have gone viral on social media.
The students planned their sit-in from 9:00am. However, an announcement was made via loudspeaker by the Diabari army camp, prohibiting all forms of gatherings, demonstrations, or sit-ins in and around the Diabari roundabout. This further angered the students.
Around 10:30am, Education Adviser Prof CR Abrar, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul and CA's press wing members went to the campus, but they were surrounded by protesting students who alleged negligence.
The advisers and press wing members later held a closed-door meeting with teachers and a few student representatives in Building-5, while hundreds continued chanting slogans outside.
Tensions escalated around 2:13pm when hundreds of students chanted "Bhua, Bhua" ("fake, fake") and clashed with police guarding the building where the meeting was taking place.
Protesters threw brick chunks and blocked journalists, accusing the media of misreporting the number of casualties, said witnesses.
The police then momentarily drove the students away and vacated the area, which enraged the students further.
After assurances from the college authorities about their demands being met, the students left the area but stayed outside the college gate
Following the meeting, Prof Nazrul addressed the students and said, "Your demands are reasonable. On behalf of the government, I assure you that they will be fulfilled. We are here as guardians to express our sympathy.
"Steps are underway for compensation, rehabilitation, and trauma management support for the affected families."
He also assured students that directives would be issued to the air force to avoid flying aircraft over densely populated areas.
Addressing allegations that students were assaulted by army personnel after the crash, the adviser said, "On behalf of the government, we apologise for the misconduct by the force members who behaved inappropriately with you. We will take appropriate action regarding this."
However, the words did not assure the protesting students. After his remarks, students began chanting slogans calling the adviser a "fraud". The situation became chaotic as shoving and scuffles broke out, forcing the advisers to retreat into Building-5 again, where they remained until after 7:30pm.
Escorted by many police personnel, they left the campus around 3:25pm.
However, their path was blocked near the MRT-6 depot, and the cars carrying them were forced to turn back and return to the campus.
The campus bore an eerie look, devoid of all students except residential HSC examinees. All classes were suspended, and the senior students huddled in the playing ground or on campus, watching and re-watching videos of the crash on their phones.
The entire time, planes flew over their heads, descending onto Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Milestone School & College is directly under the short finals for planes. Each time a plane flew by, the teenagers gazed at the sky.
"One of the first things I saw was the body of a woman with no head, cut clean from her left shoulder," claimed a teenager. The Daily Star is yet to find a body matching that description.
Some teenage boys had spent the night on the field. Staying vigil on the field, they counted ambulances coming in and going on.
"I saw an ambulance coming in around 1:00am and picking up a body," said another teenager. "Later around 3:00am, the girls spotted another ambulance from their hostel and informed us."
The horrifying extent of burns on the victims, the lack of clear communication from authorities until yesterday, and the heavy-handed attitude of the military on Monday led the students to believe that the government is hiding the actual number of deaths.
Not one teenager this correspondent spoke to said that they believe the government's death toll.
"Just one classroom had over 50 students! They were so burnt! We saw the bodies! Where are they now?" asked one.
Meanwhile, some senior-year students were spotted leaving the campus.
"I just can't stay here. I will become sick. I need to get away. My home is in Brahmanbaria, but I will stay with a relative in Dhaka for now," said a female student dragging a suitcase.
Meanwhile, army has launched an investigation into an "unwanted incident" during rescue efforts following the jet crash.
According to an ISPR statement, the incident resulted from a misunderstanding between on-duty army personnel, volunteers, and onlookers. Action will be taken against those found responsible after the probe, it said.
Army personnel from a nearby camp responded immediately after the crash. However, large crowds disrupted rescue efforts and ignored repeated requests to clear the area. This delayed medical aid and increased risks, ISPR said.
Altercations broke out in the afternoon amid the chaos. The ISPR stressed the army conducted its duties with professionalism.
Fourteen army members involved in the rescue later fell ill and are receiving treatment at CMH.
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