Dhaka, July 24 (V7N) - Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the number of casualties in the plane crash near Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka. The most recent official update was provided by Dr. Abu Hossain Md. Moinul Hossain, Director of the Hospital and Clinic Branch of the Directorate General of Health Services, during a briefing yesterday afternoon.

According to Dr. Hossain's official statistics, as of 12:45 pm on Wednesday, the death toll had risen to 29, with 69 others currently receiving treatment at various hospitals, including the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute.

The breakdown of the deaths is as follows: 11 at the National Burn Institute, 15 at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), one at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, one at Lubana General Hospital and Cardiac Center (identity unknown), and one at United Hospital.

Meanwhile, as of 7:15 pm on Wednesday, 13 individuals were discharged from the hospital, while one new patient was admitted.

On the other hand, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported that by Tuesday, 31 people had died, and one more died yesterday while under treatment. According to Milestone School's administrative vice-principal, Masud Alam, 22 students had died as of yesterday afternoon, along with two teachers and one ayah. The school had not yet received information on the whereabouts of any parents.

The Department of Social Services is working with the deceased children's families, and child protection social workers funded by UNICEF are collecting information from hospitals. According to Rehena Banu Munni and Shah Nawaz Annu, child protection social workers from the CSBP project, representatives from Milestone School were present at the funerals, identifying 22 children as dead. Additionally, six other bodies were in the CMH morgue.

As of last evening, the Burn Institute had 44 victims receiving treatment, with the majority located in the HDU unit on the 6th floor and the ICU on the 4th floor. Post-operative care was also being provided to several patients.

Army Offers Full Cooperation in Investigation of the Tragic Plane Crash

The Army has called for the public to refrain from spreading rumors about the death toll of the crash and assured their full cooperation with any media outlets seeking to investigate the incident. The ISPR issued a statement, condemning the circulation of misinformation about the number of casualties on social media.

The ISPR's Director stated, "Immediately after the incident, the army responded without any prior warning, as we always do in such situations. There is no intention or attempt to hide any information related to our children. I personally, along with the ISPR team, was present at the crash site."

The statement emphasized that any media outlet wishing to investigate the incident or visit relevant sites would be provided full assistance.

Press Secretary's Statement: “Impossible to Conceal Casualty Figures”

Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, on his verified Facebook account, commented that it is impossible to hide the casualty figures in a disaster of such magnitude. He remarked, “As someone who has reported on numerous major disasters from 2002 to 2024, I can say that hiding casualty numbers is impossible in Bangladesh. In such situations, families usually report their loved ones as missing, but once they gather information from hospitals and authorities, they can confirm their identities. Milestone College can cross-check attendance records to identify those unaccounted for.”

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