The recent Air Force jet crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara has left the nation mentally devastated. A Bangladesh Air Force FT-7 BGI fighter trainer lost control shortly after take-off and crashed into the school premises, killing at least 31 people-many of them children-and injuring more than 170, some critically. The destruction went far beyond shattered walls; it tore through families, classrooms, and the emotional core of an entire community.
Yet amid the widespread grief and outrage, one urgent issue remains largely unaddressed: the need for trauma and psychological support for the survivors and their families.
Trauma does not end when the fire is put out. Parents who sent their children off to school, only to receive their lifeless bodies, are grappling with unimaginable sorrow. Students who saw their friends perish and teachers pulled from rubble will not forget those images. The psychological wounds are deep, long-lasting, and potentially devastating if left untreated.
Trauma can manifest in many forms-post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, survivor's guilt, and behavioural changes. These can affect a child's ability to learn or an adult's ability to function in daily life. This is not just a personal tragedy; it is a public mental health emergency.
Unfortunately, mental health care in Bangladesh is still heavily stigmatised. Seeking therapy is often viewed as weakness. But grief counselling is as essential as physical first aid. It helps people process trauma, stabilise emotionally, and rebuild resilience. The families affected by the Uttara crash deserve easy, free access to psychological support. That support should begin at hospitals and continue into homes and schools. Child psychologists must lead long-term therapy programmes to help young students cope with the trauma.
The government and relevant authorities must act without delay. Professional trauma counsellors should be deployed in affected areas, psychological support integrated into burn unit care, and long-term mental health programmes initiated. These actions are not optional-they are necessary steps toward genuine recovery.
Bangladesh has always shown strength in the face of tragedy. But true resilience means caring not just for broken bodies but also for broken hearts. If we are to honour the memory of those we lost, we must protect the emotional well-being of those who remain. Only then can we begin to heal-fully and meaningfully.
Aishi Dastidar
Dhaka
aadastidar08@gmail.com
