Milestone Tragedy: “So Many Children Lost Because of Coaching Classes”

Reena Akter, mother of Saima Akter, a third-grade student who died in the Milestone tragedy, spoke through her grief:
“My daughter used to say, ‘Mother, if I don’t attend coaching classes, Miss won’t pay attention.’ So I sent her to coaching. But it was that very coaching which became the cause of my daughter’s death and utter devastation.”

She expressed these sentiments during a human chain and protest demanding a thorough investigation and justice regarding the Milestone tragedy.

Protest and Demands

The demonstration took place on Tuesday (12 August) at 7:30 am in front of the nearby Metro Station depot by families of the deceased and injured students. Many were still in tears, holding the school authorities responsible for negligence.

During the human chain, students and parents heading to the school were urged to join the protest.

Voices from the Families

• Sabbir, maternal uncle of the deceased Umme Afia, said, “It’s been a long time, but we have no idea what investigation or trial has taken place.”
• Parent Liyon remarked, “We demand a fair investigation and justice, and also policies to prevent anyone else from suffering such tragedy in the future.”

He added, “Everyone knows that coaching business runs inside this school. It is because of coaching that so many children have died.”

Incident Details

On 21 July, around midday, a training fighter jet of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed on the campus of Milestone School and College in Uttara Diabarir. The crash killed 35 people and injured over a hundred.

Aftermath and School Reopening

Twelve days after the crash, on 3 August, Milestone School and College reopened. On the first day, a few students from grades nine to twelve and some parents returned to the campus. However, the festive atmosphere was gone, replaced by silence and stillness all around.

Summary Table of Incident and Response

The tragedy has exposed concerns over the widespread coaching culture within the school and calls for accountability to prevent similar losses in the future.