22/07/2025
21 July 2025 – Not just an accident, a reflection of our collective failure
Yesterday, a Bangladesh Air Force FT-7 BGI training aircraft crashed into the academic building of Milestone School and College in Diabari, Uttara, Dhaka. In an instant, a place of learning turned into a land of death. The entire institution was devastated, and hundreds of families are now shattered. The exact number of casualties is still not officially disclosed.
Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam Sagar sacrificed his own life in a heroic attempt to prevent even greater destruction.
Ordinary citizens, students, teachers, fire service personnel, and the army quickly began rescue operations. Many students were saved, by the grace of Allah.
Local youths, rickshaw pullers, and students rushed in to help and took the injured to hospitals. Several doctors and nurses voluntarily extended their duties to treat the wounded. Civil society took to social media to call for blood donations, awareness, and empathy. The government declared 22 July as a national day of mourning, and the entire nation grieved together.
“In the face of inhumanity, we needed humanity.”
But along with the tragedy came disturbing behaviors—
People went live on social media, filmed videos, took selfies—yet didn't stop to help.
Many left the injured bleeding just to capture footage.
Rickshaw, CNG, and vehicle drivers refused to stop, and some who did charged extra fares.
The prices of water and essential medical supplies skyrocketed unjustly.
Political groups turned hospitals into showgrounds, with no real compassion—only exploitation of a crisis. Have we learned nothing?
What must we do now?
Relocate air training routes—there’s no place for them over densely populated areas
Enforce price control during disasters—for fares, medicines, water
Create dedicated emergency lanes for ambulances and rescue vehicles
Raise awareness—extend a hand, not just a camera
Share accurate information with the public—don’t hide it
Stop political exploitation—give priority to victims in hospitals and rescue zones
Final Words: We don’t need blame, we need change.
We’re not just counting the dead—we’re counting the responsibilities we failed to fulfill.
We mourn not only the loss of students, but also the humanity we seem to have lost along the way.