Milestone Tragedy: Families of Victims to Receive Up to One Crore Taka

The Government of Bangladesh is set to finalise a special compensation package for the victims of the tragic crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka, where a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft was involved in a catastrophic accident. The proposed package will offer up to one crore taka to the families of the deceased and up to 60 lakh taka to those injured, subject to approval at an upcoming inter-ministerial meeting.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the compensation proposal will be formally considered during the inter-ministerial meeting scheduled for 31 December. Children and students under 18 who lost their lives are proposed to receive one crore taka, while adult victims’ families are expected to receive 80 lakh taka each.

Compensation for injured individuals has been determined based on both the severity of injuries and the age of the victims.

Proposed Compensation for Injured Victims :

In addition, rehabilitation packages have been proposed for those requiring long-term care. Individuals needing 15 years of treatment will receive 15 lakh taka, those requiring 10 years will receive 9 lakh, and victims needing 5 years of treatment are proposed to receive 1 lakh taka.

The compensation for deceased victims will be distributed 50% as a lump sum cash payment and 50% as five-year government savings bonds. For child victims who survive, 50% of the compensation will be paid in two instalments—the first after one year, the second the following year—while the remaining 50% will be kept in long-term savings bonds, inaccessible until the child reaches 25. For adult survivors, similar rules apply, but long-term bonds cannot be accessed before five years.

Funding for the compensation will come from the Disaster Management Fund and District Disaster Management Fund. A government-appointed investigation commission recommended that compensation calculations consider future physical, mental, financial, and social losses of the victims, the severity of injuries, and the necessity of rehabilitation.

It is noteworthy that no compensation has been recommended for the young pilot’s family, as the Air Force will provide compensation under its own regulations.

The Milestone tragedy occurred on 21 July, when an F-7 BGI model fighter jet crashed into the school campus in Diabari, Uttara, Dhaka, killing approximately 35 people and injuring around 172 others. The majority of victims were children, many of whom suffered severe burns.

The interim government hopes that finalisation of this compensation package at the inter-ministerial meeting will ensure adequate support, treatment, and rehabilitation for all affected families