Dhaka: The government has established a nine-member commission led by former secretary AKM Zafar Ullah Khan to investigate the recent air force fighter jet crash into Milestone School and College in Uttara.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a Cabinet Division gazette stated that the commission has been tasked with examining the cause of the crash, evaluating damage and casualties, and determining responsibilities. The commission is expected to submit its report within four weeks. It has the authority to visit any location in Bangladesh and summon and question individuals as part of its investigation.
The commission includes a retired air vice marshal, three additional secretaries from different ministries, Dhaka's divisional commissioner, an urban planner, and a professor from the mechanical engineering department of BUET. As part of its mandate, the commission will also review the construction of Milestone School and College and other structures near the airport.
Additionally, the commission will evaluate the legal and administrative aspects related to the location and safety of the flying zone and will make recommendations to prevent future accidents. It will assess the loss of lives and injuries among students, teachers, and others, and determine the extent of all damages.
The commission will provide suggestions concerning the operation of training aircraft, construction of buildings in flying zones, and emergency response protocols during catastrophic events. The investigation will be conducted under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1956, with the office of the divisional commissioner of Dhaka offering secretarial support.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, at least 34 individuals, primarily students, lost their lives when the jet crashed into the two-storey building of Milestone School and College on July 21.