Milestone teacher, who rescued students after jet crash at school, dies from 100% burns
"She managed to pull several students to safety, but couldn't escape herself. Most of her body was burned in the fire," a family member, Sohel Hossain, told The Business Standard.
Maherin Chowdhury, a teacher and coordinator at the Diabari campus of Milestone College, who suffered 100% burns while rescuing at least 20 students from the burning primary school building of the institute after a Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) fighter jet crashed into it yesterday (21 July), has died from her injuries.
She breathed her last at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS) last night (21 July) while undergoing treatment.
Maherin, 44, sustained 100% burns while trying to evacuate her students after the F-7 BGI aircraft crashed into the primary section of the institute.
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"She managed to pull several students to safety, but couldn't escape herself. Most of her body was burned in the fire," a family member, Sohel Hossain, told The Business Standard.
She was immediately rushed to the NIBPS, where doctors had been fighting to save her life, but failed due to the severity of her injuries.
Her younger brother Munaf Mojib Chowdhury, in a Facebook post in the early hours today (22 July), said Maherin's first namaz-e-janaza was scheduled to be held at Gauzal Azam Jame Masjid in Uttara Sector 13 around 4:30am after Fajr prayers.
The family then took her mortal remains to their village, Bogulagari, in Jaldhaka, Nilphamari, where a second janaza would be held and then she would be laid to rest in the family graveyard beside her parents, he said.
"We unfortunately cannot wait any longer for her Janaza in Dhaka under the circumstances. If you can, please do join or please offer a prayer for my sister," Munaf said in the post.
Yesterday, at least 20 people - including children and the jet's pilot - were killed and over 170 were injured after the BAF jet crashed shortly after takeoff from BAF Base Bir Uttom AK Khandker at 1:06pm.
The jet struck the school building just minutes before classes would have ended, causing a massive fire.
Dozens of burn victims are currently being treated at various hospitals, including the Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and NIBPS.
The death toll rose to 25 after five more children succumbed to their injuries at NIBPS in the early hours today.
