Milestone tragedy: Probe recommended compensation of up to Tk1cr, govt announced only Tk20 lakh
The interim government announced compensation and free treatment for crash victims five months after the accident, but many families rejected the offer as inadequate. The BNP government now says action will be taken promptly.
Highlights:
- Probe recommended Tk1cr for each deceased child, Tk80 lakh for each deceased adult and Tk10 lakh for burn survivors
- Families rejected govt compensation of Tk20 lakh and Tk5 lakh
- Inquiry report remains unpublished one year after the crash
- Rights groups question accountability as the report's release remains delayed
- Govt says it will review compensation and consider the commission's recommendations
- Zubaida praised the resilience of survivors and paid tribute to the victim
The Milestone air crash probe commission's report recommended Tk1 crore in compensation for each deceased child, Tk80 lakh for each deceased adult, and Tk10 lakh for burn survivors, but the then government announced only the Tk20 lakh and Tk5 lakh payments, while the recommendations in the report were never made public.
A year has passed since the tragic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft into Milestone School and College in Diabari, Uttara. While classes have resumed and the school has gradually returned to routine, life has yet to return to normal for the families of those killed and for students and parents who survived with severe burn injuries. Many families are now asking why the inquiry commission's recommendations have not been implemented and why its report remains unpublished.
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Five months after the accident, on 5 November 2025, the interim government announced financial assistance for victims of the air crash, along with free medical treatment for the injured. However, most affected families rejected the compensation, arguing that it was grossly inadequate.
Habibur Rahman, father of deceased student Jarif, said he had only recently learned that the commission had made separate compensation recommendations.
"My son will never come back – what difference will money make? But we did not expect this from Dr Yunus' government," he said.
Sharif, father of injured student Tawhid, questioned whether the value of a severely burned child could be reduced to Tk5 lakh.
"That is why we refused the compensation. If the commission recommended phased medical support, then that recommendation should be implemented," he said.
Compensation recommendations omitted from briefing
The nine-member investigation commission, headed by former secretary AKM Zafar Ullah Khan, submitted its report to then chief adviser Muhammad Yunus on 5 November, 2025.
At a subsequent press briefing, Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam highlighted the commission's recommendation to relocate the Air Force's primary pilot training outside Dhaka but made no mention of its recommendations on compensation for victims.
The report, a copy of which The Business Standard has obtained, also states that the Bangladesh Air Force estimated the destroyed training aircraft to be worth more than Tk77 crore.
Questions over withholding the report
Ejazul Islam, executive director of Human Rights Support Society, said the failure to publish the report had also cast doubt on the government's commitment to implementing adequate compensation.
According to him, this has raised questions about the state's sincerity toward the affected families.
Professor Dr Adilur Rahman Khan, executive director of the Institute for Planning and Development, said the interim government should have taken the commission's recommendations into consideration if it was genuinely committed to supporting the victims.
He noted that burn survivors require long-term treatment and questioned why the government announced only Tk20 lakh when the commission had recommended Tk1 crore for families of deceased children.
Awaiting High Court directives
Several affected families, along with the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), filed a writ petition before the High Court seeking publication of the investigation report and access to copies for the victims.
BLAST lawyer Banrupa Roy said that although the High Court had issued a rule, the government had yet to respond, delaying further proceedings.
She added that the absence of the report has made it difficult to determine who should be held legally accountable. Instead of identifying specific responsible individuals or institutions, multiple government agencies are currently being named as defendants, creating uncertainty in the legal process.
Government promises review
Marking the first anniversary of the crash, Information and Broadcasting Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Zahed Ur Rahman said the government would review whether the announced compensation had actually reached all affected families and would consider the commission's recommendations before making further decisions.
Speaking at the information ministry's regular press briefing today (21 July), he acknowledged that it would be unfortunate – and a failure of the current government – if any family had still not received compensation one year after the tragedy. He pledged that the government would move quickly to address any shortcomings.
Retired Colonel Nurun Nabi, founder of Milestone School and College, said that although there was no doubt about the interim government's sincerity after the accident, the financial assistance announced was insufficient compared with the actual losses suffered. He noted that the long-term treatment costs for burn victims had left many families financially devastated and said the government should adopt a more comprehensive approach for families who lost children and loved ones.
Courage shown after tragedy is an inspiration for nation: ZubaidaDr Zubaida Rahman, wife of Prime Minister Tareque Rahman and vice-president of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation, said the courage, resilience, and determination shown by teachers, students, and affected families in overcoming the trauma of the Milestone tragedy should serve as an inspiration for the entire nation.
She made the remarks today while addressing the "21 July Milestone Tragedy: Tribute and Remembrance 2026" programme as chief guest at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka.
Before the event, Zubaida Rahman visited an exhibition featuring photographs and names of students, teachers, parents, and staff members who died in the tragedy, as well as students who recovered after treatment.
She said the devastating accident had plunged the entire nation into grief and shock, expressing condolences to the bereaved families and wishing a full recovery to those who were injured.
"The courage, determination, and confidence with which injured students and teachers have resumed their lives despite their traumatic experiences will never be forgotten and will remain an example for future generations," she said.
Dr Zubaida also commended the contributions of the Fire Service, Doctors Association of Bangladesh, Ziaur Rahman Foundation, the National Burn Institute, and all other individuals and organisations involved in rescue and medical treatment.
She said countless people risked their own lives to save others during the crisis, and their courage, compassion, and self-sacrifice would be remembered in history.
The event was chaired by Professor Mohammad Nasir Uddin, director of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Among the special guests were Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain, State Minister MA Muhith, Ziaur Rahman Foundation Executive Director Farhad Halim Donar, the Indian High Commissioner, Singapore's Chargé d'Affaires, the Chinese ambassador, and diplomats from several other countries. Doctors and representatives of organisations involved in rescue and treatment efforts during the tragedy were honoured at the event.
