Inside the ICU at Dhaka’s National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, two young siblings lie side by side. Swathed in bandages, their faces barely visible, they cling to life.
Aryan Ashraf Nafi, a class two student, sustained burns across 95 percent of his body. His sister, Tania Ashraf Nazia, in class six, has burns over 90 percent. Both are students of Milestone School and College. Both were inside the campus when a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into their school compound.
At their bedside, the mother stood still, eyes fixed on her children. Their father, a former army officer, fought to hold himself together.
Scramble to Find Loved Ones
The siblings were separated in the chaos following the crash. Nafi was found early. But it took nearly an hour for the family to locate Nazia.
Her aunt Akhi eventually found her. Relief turned to despair after a doctor said Nazia had burns covering most of her body. She was in critical condition.
Two other children from the same extended family were also hurt. Their aunt Tania, sister of the children’s mother, wept as she described the injuries.
Her son, Imam Hossain Junaid, a fourth-grade student, sustained burns on both hands. He is now under treatment at the Combined Military Hospital. Tania’s daughter was treated briefly and sent home. Of the four children, only one is out of danger.
Overcrowded Corridors and Emergency Care
By mid-afternoon, the burn institute was overwhelmed. Stretchers wheeled in nonstop. Doctors shouted. Barefoot relatives ran in panic.
Those on the scene described heartbreaking moments filled with sorrow and panic. Parents sobbed openly. Others sat silently in the hallway. Some clung to hope. Others braced for the worst.
One mother, Akhlima Parvin, stood crying outside a ward. Her son, Tawfiq Hossain, a fifth-grade student, was inside receiving treatment.
“He had breakfast with me,” she said quietly. “I made his favorite dish. He was supposed to come home for lunch.”
When she reached the school after the crash, she found him injured. He grabbed her and said, “Save me.”
Nearby, Zahid Hasan, a family driver, had been waiting to pick up Afif, a student. He saw the explosion erupt near Afif’s classroom.
“He’s now in the burn unit,” Hasan said. “I’m just praying.”
Also Read: Dozens Injured After Military Training Jet Crashes Into Dhaka School Building
Doctors Under Pressure
Inside the seventh floor of the burn unit, Dr. Zakia Sultana Mitali paused amid the emergency.
“Many of the victims are children,” she said. “Some have burns in their airways. We’re doing everything we can. But we’re stretched.”
Another doctor, speaking off the record, admitted the situation was dire. “We are overwhelmed. So many children.”
Dr. Sayem Al Mansur, leading one of the critical care teams, outlined the scale.
“One child has 100 percent burns. Four have 90 percent. Five are over 80 percent. Several more exceed 70 percent.”
Outside the Hospital: More Chaos
Beyond the emergency gate, the scene wasn’t much calmer. Volunteers tried to organize crowds and coordinate blood donations.
But spectators, political activists, and onlookers clogged the area. Ambulances were delayed. Patients couldn’t get in. Police, army, RAB, and Ansar personnel tried to maintain control, but struggled.
A hospital staffer noted that injured children were stuck outside longer than necessary because of crowding.
Amid the devastation, people stepped up. Volunteers formed human chains, helping to open paths through the debris. They shouted instructions. Some comforted the injured.
Rising Toll and Growing Anguish
By evening, officials confirmed at least 20 people had died. Another 171 were injured. Many are children. Many are in critical condition.
The Inter Service Public Relations Directorate confirmed the crash occurred during a routine Bangladesh Air Force training flight. The jet struck a building of Milestone School and College in Uttara.
Families across the city remain in shock. For some, the wait continues. For others, the outcome is already devastating.
And for children like Nafi and Nazia, the fight for life is still unfolding inside the ICU.
