DNA Disclosures Deepen Tragedy of Uttara Aircraft Crash
The number of confirmed bodies from the Uttara Milestone School and College aircraft crash has been revised to five, following DNA analysis conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Among the six body bags preserved at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), one contained the remains of five bodies and two partial corpses. DNA testing confirmed that the remains belonged to two previously unidentified students: Lamia Akter Sonia and Afsana Akter Priya. Their identities were matched with DNA samples from their parents.
According to the CID’s DNA report, five students have now been conclusively identified: Okia Ferdous Nidhi, Lamia Akter Sonia, Afsana Akter Priya, Raisa Moni, and Mariam Umme Afia. CID collected 14 samples for testing, including 11 from family members of the victims.
In a letter sent from CMH to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on 25 July, it was reported that 15 body bags had initially been received at the CMH morgue on 21 July. Turag police conducted preliminary assessments, identifying 11 as complete bodies, two as partial bodies, and five as body fragments. Of the 11 complete bodies, families were able to identify nine, which were subsequently handed over—eight on the day of the incident and one on 22 July.
On 22 July, the CID forensic team collected DNA samples from the remaining two whole bodies, two partial corpses, and five body fragments. Based on these tests, five individuals were identified, and on 24 July night, Turag police returned the remains to their respective families.
The DGHS has now updated the official death toll from the tragic crash to 34, based on DNA confirmation. Although CMH initially reported 15 preserved bodies, this figure has since been corrected to 14 following identification updates.
Dr. Sarkar Farhana Kabir, the designated focal person for providing updates on the casualties, said, “CMH has updated the status based on DNA test reports. I have updated the fatality count accordingly based on their report.”
As per the latest information, out of the 34 confirmed deaths, 17 occurred at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, 14 at CMH, one at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, one at Lubana General Hospital, and one at United Hospital. The identity of the deceased at Lubana General Hospital remains unknown.
A week after the incident, 48 individuals are still undergoing treatment: 36 at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, 11 at CMH, and one at the National Institute of Mental Health.
The tragic accident occurred last Monday afternoon when a Bangladesh Air Force combat aircraft crashed into a building at the Milestone School and College campus in Diabari. It is now regarded as the deadliest military aircraft accident in the country’s history, with the majority of the victims being children.
