Published on 12:00 AM, March 16, 2018

Editorial

Still waiting for the dead bodies

Spare the families further agony

The crash site of US-Bangla plane in Nepal. Photo courtesy: Kathmandu Post/ Asia News Network

It is saddening to learn that the friends and families of the victims of US-Bangla Airlines plane crash are still waiting to receive the bodies of their departed loved ones. Needless to say, the relatives have gone through excruciating moments after the accident. Now, they are stuck at TU Teaching University Hospital, and at the time of writing, still waiting to see a glimpse of their loved ones who have passed away. We understand that it may take a few more days for the procedures to be completed.

As reported by this paper, the families were asked to come to Nepal to receive the bodies, but when they came they were just made to wait. After the plane crash, the authorities should have arranged a speedy handover of the bodies to reduce the trauma of the grief-stricken families.

This is naturally upsetting for the victims' relatives. They should have been duly reassured about the timeframe and the procedure. The Bangladesh government should request the Nepali authorities to hasten the forensic procedures, and if need be, offer help to do so.

It would have been in order for the Civil Aviation minister to meet the relatives of the victims in the aftermath of such a traumatic event. Instead, he vaguely reassured the journalists that "everything" would be done and all the problems would be solved

We hope that the authorities make arrangements to fly back the bodies and the relatives after completing the identification process and formal procedure as soon as possible.

In addition, the government should take measures to see whether the survivors and wounded passengers of the crashed plane need urgent or advanced treatment. In that case, they should be shifted to wherever that is available.