2 advisors leave Milestone School under police protection after 9hrs
After remaining confined for the whole day in the face of students’ protest, two advisors Asif Nazrul, CR Abrar and Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam have finally left Milestone School and College campus in Uttara under police protection in the evening today, Tuesday.
They had been held inside the educational institution since 10:30 am while students continued their demonstrations outside.
Earlier in the afternoon, the advisors had attempted to leave the college campus but were blocked by protesting students at the Diabari intersection and returned.
After that, the two advisers and the press secretary remained on the first floor of the Academic Building-7 of Milestone School and College.
Their vehicles were parked inside the college premises. Since then a huge number of police personnel had been deployed in front of both Academic Building-5 and Academic Building-7. In addition, members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and intelligence agencies were also seen moving around the campus.
Then the activities of the law enforcement forces suddenly intensified around 7:30 pm. Moments later, Law Advisor Asif Nazrul, Education Advisor C R Abrar, and members of the Chief Advisor’s Press Wing came downstairs. At exactly 7:34 pm, they left the college premises. Their motorcade exited through the main gate of the college and proceeded past the Diabari Metro Rail depot.
On Monday afternoon, a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crashed into a building of the Milestone School and College campus in Uttara. So far, 31 people have been confirmed dead and 165 injured. Majority of the victims are children and students of Milestone School. There have been allegations that teachers and guardians at the school were mistreated during rescue operations by personnel involved.
In response, Milestone students had planned to begin a sit-in protest at 9:00 am Tuesday on their campus. However, at around 9:15 am authorities from the Diabari Army Camp announced on loudspeakers that any gatherings, protests, or group activities in the Diabari area and its surroundings have been prohibited. Later, students started demonstrating outside Milestone School campus.
Around 10:30 am, Law Advisor Asif Nazrul, Education Advisor CR Abrar, and Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam arrived at the school for a visit. When they were leaving, students surrounded them and continued their protest.
Students put forward a six-point demands, including the full disclosure of the names and identities of the deceased; a complete and accurate list of the injured; compensation for the families of all affected students; immediate replacement of outdated and risky training aircraft used by the Air Force with modern, safer alternatives; reformation of the Air Force’s training methods and facilities to ensure a more humane and secure environment; and an unconditional public apology for the incident involving members of the military assaulting teachers.
The two advisers then entered a conference room on the ground floor of Building No. 5, accompanied by teachers of the college. There, they held discussions with a delegation of five to seven student representatives. Meanwhile, hundreds of students were seen protesting outside the building.
Around 12:45 pm, the advisers came out of the conference room. At that time, Asif Nazrul assured the students that all their demands would be fulfilled.
He stated, “The students’ demands are entirely reasonable. On behalf of the government, I assure you that we will fulfill each of the demands. Please have faith.”
He had come as a guardian, out of affection and concern, he added.
Meanwhile, the interim government’s Press Wing issued a statement supporting the students’ six demands as justified. Despite these assurances, protests persisted, prompting the advisors to retreat inside the college again.
Shortly before 3:30 pm, the two advisors and the press secretary exited the college. At that time, no protesting students were seen outside the college. However, as their motorcade reached the Diabari intersection around 3:45 pm, students blocked their way, chanting slogans demanding the resignation of the law and education advisors. Faced with their obstruction, the delegation returned to the Milestone campus and went inside one of the academic buildings.