Milestone tragedy: Time to balance public safety and defence needs?

The crash of an FT-7 fighter-trainer of the Bangladesh Air Force on Monday has sent shockwaves through the country. The crash of an air force jet usually makes headlines even when the pilot survives and the plane falls in open space. There is something always dramatic about the crash of a fighter jet. 

But the drama of Monday's crash turned into full-scale tragedy when it was learnt, within minutes of the incident, that the plane fell in the compound of a school and then exploded. 

A crash at a school at midday meant only one thing. Dozens, if not hundreds of children would be at risk. That's when shockwaves began to emanate from Ground Zero, around four kilometres from the the air force base AK Khondker, from where the fighter had taken off. 

As so often happens in Bangladesh in the aftermath of such disasters, thousands of people converged on the scene, some with intent to help, some to share the grief of the relatives of the students, but many just to watch. 

One can recall the scenes at Rana Plaza at Savar, where in 2013 a four-storey building housing multiple garments factories collapsed, killing over a thousand workers. Many volunteers dug out survivors from under the rubble with their bare hands.  

But this time at Milestone, there was a different kind of twist. In an age when everyone has a mobile phone with built-in cameras, the unfolding tragedy was filmed and countless images were shared by people. Shockingly, many photos and videos of children in extraordinary pain, whose clothes and even skin had been burnt off, were posted on social media. 

Empathy for human suffering

This disregard, contempt even, for protection of distressed children's privacy and dignity, turned out to be a tragedy within the broader disaster. The lack of empathy for human suffering, even when the victims are children, was on full display. In a macabre sort of way, this reflected the low value put on human lives in Bangladeshi society in general, and the lack of concern for safety issues in particular. 

When tragedy strikes ordinary people, especially children, there is an outburst of anger. People want answers. But when none is forthcoming, they look to blame someone. From the pilot to the officials who procured the F-7 series of fighters from China, a whole host of people are being blamed. Questions are being raised as to whether political leaders may have benefited through corruption in the purchase of the planes from the late 1980s through to 2013. 

One can recall the outpouring of grief and anger after two schoolboys were killed in a road accident in Dhaka in 2018. The protests by teenagers nearly shook the then Awami League regime to its foundations. Six years later, police killing of university and college students breached the dam of public patience, bringing down Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule. 

There is nothing to suggest that the Milestone School tragedy will lead to similar public protests, putting the interim government of Professor Muhammad Yunus in jeopardy. It is how the government manages the aftermath of the tragedy that will determine how they are viewed for the rest of their tenure. 

For one thing, the people will want the investigation into the crash to be transparent. For instance, reports said the plane took off at 1:06pm and crashed soon afterwards. But the timeline is rather hazy. The investigation should explain how long did the plane, which can climb 30,000 feet in one  minute, spend over an urban built-up area after take-off.  

Base in the city

The question then expands to other, more fundamental areas: Given the sheer density of Dhaka's urban growth, why are such flights still taking off from Base AK Khondker? Should a military airbase continue to exist smack in the middle of this densely-populated city? 

Such questions will probably not be addressed by the crash investigation. These are more political in nature and possibly not even for the interim government to address. 

An elected government, armed with proper mandate and evidence of the crash, can initiate dialogue with the military brass and arrive at an arrangement that addresses public safety concerns while meeting defence needs. 

Air Force chief Air Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan has told the media that he considers it "very important" to have the air base inside Dhaka. Of course, this may have been true in the early years after independence, but given the city's expansion, the military may need to re-think their strategy. 

Everyone understands the crash was an accident, and nobody engineered it. Whether it was pilot error or mechanical failure, the investigation will establish the cause of the crash and come up with recommendations to avoid future mishaps. The Air Force chief has already dismissed suggestions that the plane was "too old" or maintenance was poor.

'Mindset' as the issue

Crashes don't only happen to air force's with old planes or poor safety procedures. In the region, both the Indian and Pakistani air forces experience regular crashes. Even technologically advanced aircraft, such as the American F-35, flown by forces known for their safety such as the US Air Force, can and do have crashes. But rarely do we hear of military aircraft falling on populated areas. 

This is because those air forces ensure that civilian safety on the ground are taken into account when building bases, designing runaways and drawing up flight plans. These forces are accountable and they put a high premium on the value of people's lives - their crew as well as civilians. 

What becomes clear from every tragedy in Bangladesh is that, safety procedures are not given the priority they require. This is because human lives are not seen as precious as they ought to be. There is a problem of "mindset" or "attitude" here, which inform and dictate priority in policy-making. 

One thing is certain: this was not the first crash and it will not be the last. But the crucial area to address is, how to avoid putting civilian lives on the ground in danger. If the Milestone tragedy can jolt people into changing their "mindset," then the loss of lives will not have been in vain. 

The writer is former head of BBC Bangla, former Managing Editor of VOA Bangla. 

He can be reached at: sabir.mustafa@gmail.com

Views expressed in this article are the author's own, not necessarily a reflection of organisational.