The Directorate General of Health Services on Wednesday revised the death toll from Monday's air force jet crash at Milestrone School and College in Uttara to 29.
This figure includes a nine-year-old boy, Nafis, who had been undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
The Health Ministry said Nafis succumbed to his injuries at about 12:15am on Wednesday, reports UNB.
The child, who had burns on over 95% of his body, had been receiving intensive care at the institute's ICU.
The Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) had earlier reported 31 deaths and 165 injuries, conflicting with the ministry figures.
In response, Mohammad Shahadat Hossain, senior information officer of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, clarified on Tuesday evening that the official number of deaths stood at 28 at that time, with 68 injured individuals being treated in various hospitals.
He said the ministry’s data should be regarded as accurate, having been cross-checked with ISPR.
Sources told Dhaka Tribune that the discrepancy in the death toll may have arisen due to some victims being transferred between hospitals, potentially leading to double counting.
Additionally, in some cases, body parts of a single deceased individual might have been mistakenly recorded as multiple fatalities, they added.
Authorities have urged the public not to spread rumours regarding the death toll and to await official confirmation.
The fatal crash occurred on Monday afternoon shortly after an FT-7 BGI fighter jet of the Bangladesh Air Force took off from the Kurmitola airbase, triggering a massive blaze that claimed numerous lives, mostly children.
Over 150 people were injured in the incident, many sustaining critical burn injuries.
As of now, 67 people remain hospitalised, including 43 at the burn institute, 21 at Dhaka CMH, one at Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital, one at Shaheed Monsur Ali Medical College Hospital, and one at Uttara Adhunik Medical College Hospital.
During a press briefing at the burn institute on Tuesday, Syedur Rahman, special assistant on health affairs to the chief adviser, said: “Among the patients, 10 are considered to be out of danger. However, around 30 are in a grey area and 10 of them are still in critical condition.”
So far, the bodies of 22 victims have been identified and handed over to their families. Six unidentified bodies remain at the morgue of the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka. The Ministry of Health is now seeking assistance from relatives to identify these victims.
A ministry media release issued late on Tuesday night confirmed that DNA samples have been collected from the unidentified bodies under the supervision of government experts. These will be sent to the CID laboratory for profiling.
Citing Syedur Rahman, the statement urged families of missing people, whose names do not appear on the official lists of the deceased or injured, to provide DNA samples at the CID office in Malibagh.
“Only one family has submitted samples so far. Prompt submission from other families will help confirm identities swiftly. We appeal for everyone's cooperation,” the media release added.
