Anti-government protests rock Dhaka after death toll from horrific air crash rises to 31

Dhaka: Chaos and a riot-like situation prevails in Dhaka, especially around the Milestone School and College campus – the site of Monday’s horrific plane crash in Dhaka, which has so far claimed lives of 31 people and injured more than 160.

Massive protests continue at the crash site, and also outside the Secretariat building in the country’s capital, with the students demanding an immediate resignation of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government’s Education Advisor and Education Secretary.

The interim government’s law and education advisors, along with Yunus’s Press Secretary, who visited the institute for a site inspection following the tragic crash, faced a strong protest from students who demanded their resignations, stating that the information provided by the government related to the crash is inaccurate.

The protestors demanded publication of a correct list of the names of the deceased and those injured along with the compensation details for the families of the victims.

They are also demanding an immediate discontinuation of the use of outdated and unsafe training aircrafts used by the Bangladesh Air Force, reported Bangladesh’s leading daily, the Daily Star.

Law Advisor Asif Nazrul, Education Advisor C R Abrar, and Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam had to be constricted to a room inside the educational institute after they were confronted by the protesting students.

The students pressured the advisors to take accountability and present answers regarding the crash, urging that their list of demands needed to be met.

They also mentioned that the teachers and guardians at the institution were allegedly attacked on Monday night.

Following the protests, Yunus, in a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, said that all the demands of the students would be taken into consideration.

“An information centre has been established at Milestone School. It contains information about the deceased and injured. Information about anyone missing is also included. The information is being regularly updated from here. Arrangements are being made for compensation, rehabilitation, and trauma management support for the families of the deceased and injured,” the Chief Advisor posted on X.

He also stated that appropriate actions will be taken and army authorities would be informed, regarding the allegations of assault on students by some of the army personnel.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media division of the South Asian nation’s Armed Forces, the Bangladesh Air Force’s F-7 BGI training aircraft took off at 1:06 pm, local time on Monday and crashed into the Milestone School and College building in Dhaka’s Uttara around 1.30 PM. The deceased majorly included students, authorities announced on Tuesday.

IANS