Whenever she hears the sound of an aircraft, Nure Jannat Eusha still covers her ears with her scarred hands. Her frightened eyes turn towards the sky, as if something could come crashing down from above at any moment.
Although she is still very young, the sixth-grade student of Milestone School and College is carrying the horrific memories of the Milestone tragedy of 21 July 2025.
Speaking in broken sentences, she says, “I still feel scared when I go to sleep. I see that day in my dreams. Whenever there is a sudden loud noise or something moves around me, I get startled.”
On the afternoon of 21 July 2025, a Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI training fighter aircraft crashed inside the Milestone School and College campus in Diabari, Uttara, Dhaka.
The accident occurred during afternoon classes, killing at least 31 people, including students, teachers, guardians and the pilot, while more than 170 others were injured. Most of the victims were children and teenagers.
Although the wounds on Eusha’s hands and face have healed, the white and pink scars will remain for many years. She says, “I feel scared when I play because I do not know when my hands might hurt again.”
She once dreamed of becoming a pilot, but she no longer wants to pursue that dream.
To help children gradually return to normal life after the long-lasting psychological trauma caused by the tragedy, a rehabilitation programme titled ‘Immortal among the Greens’ was organised for the second time on Wednesday in Pubail, Gazipur.
The second phase of the unique humanitarian initiative was jointly organised by the Rotary Club of Banani Dhaka and Chuti Resort on the Chuti Resort premises in Pubail.
Seventh-grader Zayna Mahbub is still overwhelmed by the grief of losing her friend.
“I had a friend named Nazia. We used to play the ‘Charlie Charlie’ board game,” she says while remembering her beloved friend.
Asked what she would say if she met Nazia again, her voice trembles.
“I would say, Nazia, I miss you. You were a very good person.”
Since the tragedy, the girl has not been able to make another close friend because of a lingering fear, “What if they disappear again?”
Another injured sixth-grader, Jannatul Maowa, was standing on the first-floor balcony after going downstairs for coaching classes when the aircraft crashed.
Remembering her lost classmates, she says, “I miss them a lot. We used to play together on the same field.”
The day-long programme was arranged with 60 female students from classes six to eight of Milestone School and College who were injured in the accident, lost classmates or relatives, or continued to live with deep fear and anxiety. The aim was to help restore their mental health.
The most emotional moment of the day was when the students planted memorial saplings with their own hands. Each tree was named after a lost friend or teacher. According to the organisers, the saplings are memorials to the innocent lives lost prematurely in the tragedy, allowing them to live on forever amid greenery.
After planting the saplings, everyone observed a minute’s silence together. The entire resort stood still in silence for a moment.
During the accident, Abhijit Adhikari was the teacher in charge of Class Seven’s Alamanda section. Nine students from his section were killed, and seven others injured. The casualties from a single section alone stand as a tragic testimony to the scale of the loss.
To help the children overcome emotional distress and fear, the organisers arranged professional counselling, outdoor activities in a rural natural setting, drawing, storytelling and cultural programmes.
While speaking with the children, mental health specialist Monira Rahman used the metaphor of a tree. She said the roots of a tree are its source of strength, remaining deep inside the soil and keeping the entire tree standing. The trunk represents skills, while fruits and flowers symbolise achievements.
“In the same way, a child who has broken down today still has living roots within. Their strength has not disappeared. They only need time to grow again,” she said.
Journalist Shahnaz Sharmeen said she worked at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery for 12 consecutive days while covering the treatment of children following the tragedy. The experience affected her so deeply that she had to take a break for some time to recover from the trauma.
“But the faces of the children, their cries and their helplessness have never left me. From there, a question emerged in my mind — whether something could be done for these children. That question eventually took shape as the ‘Immortal among the Greens’ programme,” she said.
Rotary Club of Banani Dhaka President Md Sharif Ullah said, “It is our social responsibility to help the tender-hearted children of Milestone overcome the severe trauma they are going through.”
Chuti Resort Pubail Managing Director Md Samsul Islam Masud said, “Beyond our business activities, we have a deep responsibility towards society. The open and peaceful environment of Pubail, away from the four walls of the city, will help the children clear the clouds of fear and anxiety from their minds.”
