Law Adviser Asif Nazrul, Education Adviser CR Abrar and Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, who were confined by protesting students at Milestone School and College in Uttara’s Diabari area, finally managed to leave the compound on Tuesday evening, over nine hours after they arrived.
According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Uttara Zone Deputy Commissioner Md Mohidul Islam, the three entered the college premises around 10:00 am and were able to leave at 7:37 pm.
They later proceeded towards the nearby depot of Dhaka Metro Rail, from where they left the area.
Earlier in the afternoon, DC Mohidul had informed reporters that the advisers and the press secretary had exited the compound through a back gate around 4:00 pm with the help of law enforcement officials. But later developments confirmed that they had remained inside the educational institution until the evening.
Meanwhile, a large group of students continued their protests nearby, occupying the road just outside the Milestone campus in Diabari, demanding justice and accountability over the recent Air Force training aircraft crash that claimed multiple lives, including students.
Law Adviser Asif Nazrul, Education Adviser CR Abrar and CA’s Press secretary Shafiqul Alam went to the Milestone School and College around 10 am.
Upon their arrival, its students started staging demonstrations on its compound protesting what they called ‘falsehoods’ surrounding the casualties in the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) aircraft crash.
A tense situation had been prevailing in the area over the issue.
When the advisers were preparing to leave, the students surrounded them and began chanting slogans: ‘Fake! Fake’!
Later, the advisers—accompanied by the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and several teachers—moved to the conference room on the ground floor of Building No. 5 to hold discussions with a delegation of five to seven student representatives.
Meanwhile, hundreds of students continued their protests outside the building, demanding perfect disclosure of the names and identities of those who have died; a verified list of the injured and compensation for the affected families.
Additional members of law enforcement agencies, including Armed Police Battalion (APBn) and Public Order Management (POM), Rab entered the school compound around 3:15 pm.
Being escorted by police, the Advisers and CA’s press secretary attempted to leave the campus around 3:30pm but before they could exit through the main gate a group of angry students blocked the road at Diabari roundabout and forced them to return to the compound.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the BAF jet crash has climbed to 27, as eight more victims succumbed to their injuries at the Burn Institute on Monday night. The ISPR, however, reported the number of casualties as 31.
"The ISPR reported the number of casualties as 31. A total of 78 people are admitted to four hospitals. The deceased include 25 children, one pilot, and one teacher.
The bodies of 20 victims have already been handed over to their relatives,” said Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Dr Sayedur Rahman during a briefing at 8am Tuesday at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
