Students, teachers and employees of Milestone School and College are still in trauma even after eight days of the tragic jet crash into their school at Uttara in the capital.
They are yet to recover from emotional and physiological shock following horrible jet crash on July 21, which instantly killed 20 people and injured over 170 others, mostly students.
Death toll from the air disaster has risen to 34 and many are still undergoing treatment at different hospitals, including National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS) and Combined Military Hospital (CMH).
Milestone college authorities have opened a dedicated counselling service unit for those mentally affected by the tragic incident.
Shah Bulbul, public relations officer (PRO) of Milestone, said trained psychiatrists and professional counsellors are now available at the newly established on-campus counselling unit.
This special service will remain open from 9:00am to 4:00pm every day. It will support students experiencing anxiety, insomnia or psychological stress following the air disaster.
During a visit to the school on Tuesday, crowds were seen at the counselling centre, especially at the three stations set up near the entrance to the college campus. Many students were seen coming with their parents, while several faculty members were also among those receiving counselling.
Dr Shahparnewaz Isha, an attending physician at the counselling centre, said that students are suffering from noise-triggered panic, sleep disruption, and appetite loss.
“Some break down in tears while some complained of breathlessness and high blood pressure,” said the doctor. “We are advising long-term strategies to help them recover from trauma.”
A temporary medical camp has also been set up at the college ground by the Bangladesh Air Force to provide immediate healthcare support to the injured students.
Squadron Leader Walillahil said the camp began operations on Monday and treated 119 individuals on the first day. By noon on Tuesday, 110 more received care.
Parents expressed their anxiety, especially when military planes fly overhead.
“My daughter still trembles at the sound of aircraft,” said Shariful Islam, who brought her here for counseling. “She has not slept well since the jet crash.”
Riya, a fifth-grade student, said that the images of the accident continue to haunt her. “It’s difficult to feel normal. I lost some people I knew,” she said with tearful eyes.
In view of the psychological impact of the tragic incident, Milestone college has extended its closure for a third time.
Masud Alam, Vice-Principal (Admin) of the college, announced that their Diabari campus will remain closed until August 2. “We are in constant contact with families of the victims,” he added.
Thirty-three victims are currently undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS) in the capital. Despite receiving intensive medical attention, their physical recovery is slow, and psychological healing has become a major issue.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, NIBPS Director Professor Dr Mohammad Nasir Uddin, shared detailed updates on the victims.
“Three patients are still in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), eight are categorised as severe, and 19 are in cabins. The rest are being treated in the general ward,” he said.
He added that none of the patients would be released today (Tuesday), although gradual release is expected later this week.
Dr. Nasir emphasised the importance of mental health support alongside physical treatment.
“Apart from treating burn injuries, we are giving high importance on psychological care,” he said. “We are regularly consulting with the Ministry of Health and health advisers to ensure holistic treatment.”
Many victims are experiencing severe emotional distress in addition to their physical trauma. To address this, the institute is coordinating long-term treatment plans that may include follow-up visits and potential surgeries.
Officials confirmed that even after release, patients will need to return for continuous monitoring, wound management, and in some cases, further surgical intervention.
Milestone School and College initially declared a three-day closure following the incident, later extending the closure twice more to allow time for healing. The authorities emphasise that both phycological emotional and administrative support remain ongoing to ensure the community regains a sense of safety and normalcy.
