Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Day of prayers for victims after Bangladesh jet crash

Muslims offer a special prayer at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka for the victims of the plane crash
Muslims offer a special prayer at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka for the victims of the plane crash - Copyright AFP Rafiqul ISLAM
Muslims offer a special prayer at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka for the victims of the plane crash - Copyright AFP Rafiqul ISLAM

Special prayers were held across Bangladesh on Friday, as the death toll from a fighter jet crash into a school building in Dhaka rose to 32.

Most of the dead were children — the youngest aged nine — after the Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft slammed into the Milestone School and College on Monday following a mechanical failure. 

The authorities earlier said 31 people were killed and 170 injured in the deadliest aviation disaster in the country in decades.

The latest to succumb to her injuries was 10-year-old Tasnim Afroz Ayman, hospital coordinator Sarkar Farhana Kabir told AFP.

“She was undergoing treatment in the High Dependency Unit with 45 percent burns,” she said.

Ayman’s uncle, Saiful Islam, said she remained calm and composed despite undergoing excruciating pain during her final hours.

“Even last night, she consoled her mother. But God had other plans,” Saiful told AFP.

As of Friday, 51 others were receiving treatment in various city hospitals. 

Following a government directive, all mosques across the country held special prayers during the Friday congregation.

Ashraful Islam, who came to pray at a mosque close to the school, lost both his children — Tahia Ashraf Nazia, 13, and Arian Ashraf Nafi, 9.

“I have nothing left,” Ashraful told reporters.

Nazia kept asking about her younger brother Nafi until her last breath, he added.

Her final request was for an ice cream, said her aunt Naznin Akhter.

“I’m burning inside. Give me some ice cream… and don’t let go of my hand,” were her last words, she told a local TV channel.

India and Singapore have sent doctors specialising in burn care to assist their Bangladesh colleagues.

A military investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the accident.

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

You may also like:

Tech & Science

As AI advances, scientists warn that failing to understand consciousness could lead to ethical mistakes.

Business

In Calgary, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson linked infrastructure, emissions and approvals in a coordinated economic strategy

Tech & Science

The telescope primarily detects light in the infrared in order to observe sources such as the first galaxies and protostars.

Tech & Science

An AI-powered analysis of routine blood tests reveals hidden patterns that predict recovery and survival after spinal cord injuries.