Milestone tragedy: 2 more die of burn injuries

Two more victims who suffered severe burn injuries in last week's jet crash on the Milestone School and College campus in Uttara's Diabari died yesterday while undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

The deceased are Jarif Farhan, 13, a seventh-grade student of the school's English version section, and Masuma, 38, a school staff member who worked as an assistant.

Including the latest fatalities, the total number of deaths from the jet crash now stands at 35, according to the health ministry.

Meanwhile, two injured students were discharged from the hospital yesterday as their condition improved, Prof Nasir Uddin, director of the burn institute, told reporters.

Ayan Khan and Rafsi, both 12-year-olds, are the first Milestone school students to be released from the burn institute.

After the deaths and discharge, a total of 46 crash victims are now undergoing treatment at four hospitals, including 36 at the burn institute.

Of the 36 patients, the conditions of four were stated to be critical and nine severe. Prof Nasir hoped that 10 more patients would be discharged this week.

Earlier in the day, Jarif died around 9:15am in the burn institute's Intensive Care Unit (ICU), said Shawon Bin Rahman, residential surgeon of the burn institute.

"He had suffered 40 percent burns," he said.

Shortly after, around 10:15am, Masuma succumbed to her injuries.

"She had burns over 90 percent of her body, including damage to her respiratory tract. She was on life support," Shawon added.

Jarif's father, Habibur Rahman, said Jarif was the younger of two siblings. His family is from Rajbari but currently resides in Uttara's Sector 12.

Masuma's husband, Md Selim, said his wife had worked at the school for several years. The family, originally from Bhola, lived in the Shukravanga area of Turag's Nayanagar with their son and daughter.

Meanwhile, academic activities at Milestone School and College's main and Diabari campuses will remain suspended till Monday, as the authority has extended the extraordinary leave for two more days.

"The decision regarding the reopening of the main and Diabari campuses will be taken within a day or two," Shah Bulbul, public relations officer of Milestone School and College, told this correspondent yesterday.

Bulbul said classes of senior sections (from class IX to XII) would resume first, adding that younger students need more time to recover from the tragedy.

He said a total of 26 students, two teachers, three guardians, and one staff member have died so far in the jet crash, while 49 more students are currently undergoing treatment.

Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum visited the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) yesterday, where eight victims of the jet crash are receiving treatment.

Both the visiting medical teams from India and China continue to work with the burn institute.

"The Indian team held the second round of consultations with doctors at the institute [yesterday], visited some of the patients, and observed their prognosis. The team further deliberated management protocols with the doctors at the institute and provided critical inputs for treatment methodology," said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka yesterday.

The Chinese Embassy in Dhaka said, "The doctors and nurses offered advice to the Bangladeshi doctors about preventing wound infection and the methods of routine care for the injured, checked the patients' conditions, offered assistance on cleaning the wounds and changing the dressings, assisted in arterial punctures, and provided guidance for the surgery."

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen yesterday visited the burn institute and handed over medicines to the hospital authority, said the health ministry.

Apart from India and China, a medical team from Singapore is also working with the hospital.