Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka, reopened on a limited scale on Sunday, 12 days after a horrific jet crash, with a mourning ceremony organized in remembrance of the students, teachers, parents, and staff who lost their lives in the tragedy.
From early morning, a pall of grief descended over the entire campus.
Students and parents began arriving gradually from the start of the day. Passing through the main gate of the college, the shattered school building came into view—surrounded by blue tin sheets.
The deceased students used to attend classes in the classrooms of this very building. Many stood there, overwhelmed with memories. The usual liveliness was gone, replaced by a heavy sense of sorrow.
From 8:30am to 10:30am, a prayer service for the English version students was held in the college auditorium, followed by one for the Bangla version.
The event began with a recitation from the Quran, and the college authorities paid deep tribute to the memory of those who died. Students, teachers, and guardians broke down in tears during the prayer, creating a heart-wrenching atmosphere in the auditorium.
Though Milestone School and College had reopened, no classes or exams were held.
The main purpose of the day was to share grief and offer comfort among teachers, students, and parents.
A counseling center has been opened on campus, where students can receive psychological support. Services are being provided by the Army, Air Force, and the college’s own counseling team.
Sajjad Shadi, a 10th-grade student, shared: “As soon as I entered the school, I saw that the damaged building had been fenced off with tin sheets. Just looking in that direction brought back memories of that horrific day. I saw so many dead students with my own eyes—some had their intestines exposed, others were missing limbs, and flesh melting off their bodies. Little kids were crying, 'Brother, save me, my body is burning.' Many of those we rescued alive died later.
“Even now, the scenes suddenly flash before my eyes. I’ll never be able to forget it. Some parts of my body were also burned during the rescue, but not too badly—I’ve recovered a lot with treatment. From 8:30 this morning, I participated in the English version’s prayer session. The remaining pre-test exams will begin tomorrow.”
Guardian Shirin Sultana said: “The school reopened after many days, though no classes were held. The main program was the prayer service. Counseling has been going on at the school for the past week since the accident. I brought my child today—he’s doing much better now. I’ve taken him to the doctor too. Still, sometimes he wakes up at night in a panic. Even so, we have to move forward. Exams will begin tomorrow.”
Russell Mallick, a lecturer in the Bangla department, said: “School has reopened after 12 days, but no classes were held today. Alongside the mourning and prayer services, we also spoke with the students. Their mental state has somewhat improved. It's impossible to forget what happened, but we must move forward. The remaining exams for grades 9 and 10 will begin tomorrow. Classes for grades 11 and 12 will resume soon. Students have been asked to come to school regularly from now on—it will help them return to a sense of normalcy.
“It will take a bit more time for the younger students. The fire-damaged building is fenced off with tin and remains under administrative supervision. It will be handed over to the institution in the future. There is sufficient space in the other buildings to conduct classes. Around 70–75% of the students were present today.”
A total of 33 people lost their lives in the incident, most of whom were students, teachers, staff, and parents.
