For the first time since the tragic military aircraft crash near Milestone School and College, two young survivors were discharged and allowed to return home, a small but powerful sign of hope amid days of despair.
Twelve-year-old students Rafsi and Ayan were released from the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery on Saturday afternoon, following significant recovery from their injuries. Their discharge was approved unanimously by both local and foreign doctors involved in their care.
“They had relatively minor burns and fewer complications,” said Professor Dr. Fowara Tasnim, one of the attending physicians. “Besides, both of them were eagerly waiting to go home.”
The decision to release them came after careful medical review, and marks a turning point– the first time any of the injured students from Milestone School have been able to leave the hospital and return to their families.
A press briefing was held at the Burn Institute around 2:45 PM, where Institute Director Professor Dr. Nasir Uddin confirmed the discharges.
He also delivered heartbreaking news: two more people– a student, Jarif Farhan (13), and a school employee, Masuma Begum (36)– had died earlier in the morning, within two hours of each other.
“We now have 36 patients still under treatment,” said Dr. Nasir. “Four of them are in critical condition in the ICU, nine are classified as severe cases in the CBR category, and the rest are stable in general wards.”
The tragedy occurred when when a Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet crashed on the school on July 21, leaving dozens of students and staff with severe burn injuries. As of now, 17 people have died at the Burn Institute alone, bringing the total death toll to 35.
Still, the recovery of Rafsi and Ayan offers a ray of light. Outside the hospital, tearful parents embraced their kids– not just with relief, but with quiet gratitude that their children had survived something so many others hadn’t.
According to hospital authorities, at least 10 more patients may be discharged gradually over the coming week, depending on their progress.
