Tarique Rahman urges party men to stand by victims in aircraft crash

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman has called upon leaders, activists, and professionals of the party to stand by the affected in a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crash on the Milestone School and College campus in the capital's Uttara Diabari area this afternoon. 

"We are heartbroken by the tragic aircraft crash at Milestone College. No student should face such horror in institutions, meant to facilitate their learning, growth, and well-being," he wrote in a facebook post from his verified page.
 
Tarique Rahman said, "My earnest prayers are with the shaken young souls, and I call upon leaders, activists, and professionals of the BNP to stand beside the affected persons. Together, as a united nation, we must cope with this situation."

As of this evening, at least 19 dead and 164 hospitalised as a Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) training aircraft (F-7 BGI), which took off at 1:06pm today (21 July), crashed into a building inside the Milestone College campus at Diabari in the capital's Uttara and caught fire following an explosion – leading to multiple casualties.

Firefighting units are still working at the scene while ambulances and metro trains are transporting victims to the hospitals.

ISPR also confirmed that the aircraft's pilot, identified as Flight Lieutenant Md Towkir Islam of the BAF, succumbed to his injuries.