Advisors Fail to Leave Under Police Protection, Return to College Amidst Student Protests

After being barricaded inside Milestone School and College for nearly four hours, the interim government’s Legal Advisor Asif Nazrul, Education Advisor C. R. Abbar, and the Press Secretary of the Chief Advisor faced further obstruction from protesting students as they attempted to leave under heavy police protection. Their vehicles were turned back at Diabari Mor (intersection), forcing them to return to the college campus, where they are now reportedly inside a building, under tight security.

Students Continue to Demand Resignations

Hundreds of students gathered outside the college and in the surrounding areas, protesting against the Legal Advisor and Education Advisor, demanding their resignations. The tension escalated when the advisors’ vehicles attempted to leave the area but were met with resistance from the students at Diabari Mor. The vehicles were then forced to turn around, heading back to the college campus.

The protest had begun earlier that afternoon when, shortly after 3:30 pm, the advisors left the college premises. They were seen passing by the area without any immediate interference. However, upon reaching Diabari Mor, students once again obstructed their movement around 3:45 pm, resulting in a standoff.

Meeting with Student Representatives

Before the vehicle incident, at 12:30 pm, the advisors held a meeting with student representatives in the conference room of the college’s Building 5, after being surrounded by students outside the college. During this discussion, the students expressed their demands for justice regarding the recent fighter jet crash that caused significant casualties and damage. The meeting, which lasted around an hour, was attended by around five to seven student representatives.

As the advisors left the conference room at 12:45 pm, Asif Nazrul reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fulfilling all of the students’ demands, including publicly acknowledging the incident’s consequences and issuing compensation to the families of the victims.

Government’s Official Response

The interim government’s press wing later issued a statement acknowledging that all six demands from the students were justified. They pledged to meet each of them, expressing their condolences for the victims of the crash and a commitment to ensuring safety and accountability in military training procedures.

The Triggering Incident

The protests were triggered by the crash of a fighter jet from the Bangladesh Air Force at Milestone School and College on Monday, 21st July 2025. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) department, the crash resulted in 31 fatalities and 165 injuries by 12 pm on the following day.

Details of the Crash:

Student Demands and Public Sentiment

The students’ six-point demand list includes justice for the victims, immediate reforms in military training practices, and an unconditional apology from the army personnel involved in an earlier incident where a teacher was reportedly assaulted by military staff. The protests, however, show no signs of subsiding as students continue to stand firm on their demands.

In light of the ongoing protests, the Interim Government has pledged to address the concerns but faces mounting pressure to act swiftly. Students remain determined, and the ongoing standoff highlights the deep discontent that persists within the educational community and the wider public over the mishandling of the tragedy.