Milestone plane crash: College student brings younger sister to DMCH all by himself

Just as I boarded the metro rail a few minutes to 3pm, I saw a woman crying over a phone call. Soon I realised, her daughter was one of the victims of the plane crash in Uttara.

The mother, Yasmin (40), was frequently asking everyone how far was the Dhaka University station. Her daughter, Yusha, a student of class five in Milestone School and College was admitted in Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMC), where Yasmin was heading. 

The mother was continuously praying, raising her hands, so her little daughter was okay. 

"Yusha said she didn't want to go to school today, why did I force her, O Allah; please give me my daughter back, please keep her unharmed!"

It took an eternity for the train to arrive at the Dhaka University station.

I decided to go with Yasmin. As if I wanted to make sure Yusha was alright. As if it depended on me going there, be with her. 

Yasmin took an autorikshaw, I followed her with a paddle rickshaw, and soon lost her.

However, at the Emergency of DMCH, where she was still looking for Yusha, I found her again. She was running from here to there. Soon, she could be reunited with some of her relatives, and we were informed by Emergency officials that they were treating only two of the Milestone injured; others were in the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery nearby.

We got there, and braving the crowds of victims' relatives and journalists, reached the officials who directed us to the fifth floor, where Yusha was sent earlier. 

The officials and the volunteers were working efficiently, clearing the entrances for ambulances and trolleys. 

Yasmin rushed into the ward; I decided to stay outside, respecting the working doctors and nurses, and the victims' families.

Many other families were there, waiting as their sons and daughters received treatments. Some did not make it, but the doctors did not share it with the relatives.

A doctor, helping families getting united with the victims, told me that Yusha suffered a 6% burn injury, adding that it was not a big deal compared to many.

Another mother, Nirjon, was waiting outside for her son Niloy, a 12 year old studying in class six. Two young fathers were crying nearby, unsure of the status of their children.

At around 4pm, I met Yusha's elder brother, Rohan, a second year college student going to the same institute.

"My sister doesn't play a lot. When the plane crashed, I saw that it hit just the part where my sister was. I rushed there, looking for her all around. When I saw her, she was bleeding from both hands and on her face," Rohan said.

Rohan took Yusha to a nearby clinic, but the clinic referred her to the DMC. Luckily, they had an ambulance which transported the siblings to DMC.

I waited. Yasmin came out and met with her son. She was still crying.

The brave young boy tried to comfort his mother, hugging her, saying, "Yusha only sustained minor injury, Mom. It is nothing, don't you worry."

He was describing how he saw many children with severed limbs and so on.

Yes, Yusha was indeed lucky.

But many weren't.

As of writing this piece, at least 19 lost lives, with dozens admitted in the hospitals with injuries.