The death toll after a air force rose to 31 on Tuesday, while hundreds of students protested near the site in Dhaka, demanding accountability, compensation for victims’ families and the halt of training flights.
The Chinese-made F-7BGI fighter plane crashed into the two-story Milestone School and College in the north of the capital on Monday.
At least 25 students were among those who perished, while a teacher died after suffering burns she sustained while helping others get out of the building. The pilot also died in the crash.
Why are people protesting?
And on Tuesday, a backlash ensued.
Students took to the streets near the crash scene to demand the “accurate” publication of the identities of the fatalities, while also calling for compensation for their families and an immediate halt to the use of “outdated and unsafe” jets by the Bangladesh air force.
Protesters chanted slogans and accused security officials of beating them and manhandling teachers.
When two senior government advisors arrived at the scene of the crash, protesters erupted, prompting the policy aides to take cover.
Journalist questions military training in densely populated Dhaka
Meanwhile, Dhaka journalist Zyma Islam said the military had blamed the crash on “mechanical failure.”
“We do know the army was conducting military jet fighter training in heavily populated civilian areas,” the senior reporter from the Daily Star told DW. She questioned “whether or not we should be conducting military training in a very densely populated city like Dhaka.”
Islam explained that the part of the school that was hit by the plane was for primary students, so under fifth grade.
“There is this deep sense of shock and devastation and anger,” she said. “It’s not OK for parents to send their children to school and have them turn up in body bags.”
She said that many parents are still looking for their children. At the same time, the death toll is expected to go up, she added.
“Many of the children who were hospitalized there, they’re battling burns that go beyond 60%,” Islam told DW. “I’ve covered plenty of fire incidents in the past. And what I’ve seen is that people who suffer burns more than 60% in Bangladesh’s medical system, they usually do not survive.”
Bangladesh declares day of mourning
Authorities have collected bags, shoes, and identity cards of children from the crash.
Pahn Chakma, a senior police officer, said that armed forces are still sweeping the area.
“They will hand over the place to the police later, and we will then collect evidence, including any human remains or belongings of students and others,” Chakma said.
Bangladesh has declared Tuesday a day of national mourning, with flags flying at half-staff across the country.
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher
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