Wails of despair and pain reverberate at national burn institute

From around 3pm yesterday, ambulances began arriving every few minutes at the emergency unit of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS), each carrying victims – many of them young children – injured in the devastating plane crash inside the Milestone College campus in Dhaka's Uttara.

Outside the emergency ward, anxious parents and relatives gathered in growing numbers. Most were the parents of the schoolchildren, their faces drawn with shock, fear, and disbelief.

Inside, medical teams worked urgently to treat the severely burned victims – many in critical condition – racing against time to save young lives scarred by the devastating explosion.

"My son's whole body is burned," cried Akhi, mother of 11-year-old Arian, a Class Four student at Milestone School.

"He had been sick for a few days and I hadn't let him go to school. But today, he went. His hair is also burned off," she said.

Nasima, another grieving mother, pleaded through tears, "Oh Allah, please save my precious child." Her 15-year-old son Nabil is a Class Seven student of the school.

"After school, the children were playing in the field when the blast occurred," she said. "He was first taken to Bangladesh Medical College Hospital. I got to see him just once, his entire body was burned."

Beside Nasima Begum, Sajjad Hossain sat slumped in a chair, silently weeping. He is the uncle of Afif Hossain, a seventh-grade student at the school.

"I brought three injured children here," he told The Business Standard, his voice shaking. "One of them is unconscious – can't say their name, can't even say their parents' names. At the hospital, small children are writhing in pain."

Sajjad went on, "My nephew Afif has burns on his face, hands, and most of his back. He can still speak, though. He lost his father, and he's been growing up through so much struggle."

Amid the rush of ambulances, curious onlookers also gathered outside the burn institute, making it harder for emergency staff and volunteers to move patients swiftly into the emergency ward.

By the evening, 59 victims had been admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Among them was a student named Tanvir, who was declared "brought dead". Nine others were in the ICU, while at least 15 had suffered burns over more than 30% of their bodies.

According to Md Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 25 of the victims brought to the burn institute were in critical condition.

As dusk fell, the crowd outside the hospital swelled with relatives desperately searching for missing loved ones. Red Crescent volunteers were seen helping family members identify patients inside. Many were also urgently searching for negative blood group donors as supplies dwindled.

Victims of the plane crash were also transported by ambulance to several hospitals in the capital, including Dhaka Medical College Hospital's Burn Unit, Bangladesh Medical College Hospital, and emergency departments in hospitals across Uttara.

Doctors urge crowd control to prevent infection spread

The National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS), which has served during numerous national crises, mobilised its medical team immediately after the tragic plane crash. There was no shortage of doctors or nurses. However, the overwhelming presence of anxious guardians, curious onlookers, and political visitors severely disrupted emergency care efforts.

"We're struggling to treat patients properly because of the crowd. But it's hard to take a hardline stance when most of them are parents," said one doctor, requesting anonymity.

Dr Ahmedur Rahman Sabuj, assistant registrar at the institute, told TBS, "We have prior experience in emergency management, so we're well-coordinated and fully staffed."

He stressed that preventing infection is now more urgent than even sourcing blood. "In burn cases, infection control is critical. We urge everyone to avoid unnecessary crowding at the hospital."

'Children burned to ashes, we couldn't recognise them'

Earlier, yesterday afternoon, a Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) training aircraft (F-7 BGI) crashed into the Milestone School and College campus in Uttara, erupting into flames and killing at least 20 people – many of them children – while injuring over 170 others as of 10pm yesterday.

The aircraft took off at 1:06pm but shortly after experienced a technical malfunction and crashed.

Saim Khan, a final-year student at Milestone School and College, told TBS, "We were in class when we heard a loud explosion. We rushed outside and saw the horror unfold."

"I saw a Class Four student – her arm was badly burned. Her mother was with her and pleaded with me, 'Please take my daughter to the hospital. I can't find her two younger brothers.'"

Saem and a teacher immediately took three injured children by ambulance to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Since the army camp is nearby, military personnel arrived quickly. Within five or six minutes, fire service teams also reached the scene, he said.

Wafi, a second-year student of the college, told TBS, "Our classes usually end at 1:40pm, but today they ended early at 1pm. I was waiting with my cousin to head home to Tongi. He was late, so I was playing nearby."

"Around 1:15pm, I was going to call my brother when I saw a fighter jet descending toward the building with a deafening sound."

"A small child was on a swing – the blast tore the child in half. His body split open," he said, voice shaking.

"I ran. Then I suddenly remembered – where is my brother? I rushed into the building. The children were burned to ashes. Some had their brains, their skin scattered on the floor. Many had no clothes left – all burnt away," Wafi said.

"My question is – how can a training aircraft be allowed to fly over an educational institution? If something happens to my brother, who will take responsibility?"