Healing and Hope: Rehabilitation Response for Milestone School & College Burn Survivors

On 21st July 2025, a Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet tragically crashed on the Milestone School and College campus in Uttara, killing 36 people and injuring around 170. Many survivors with severe burns are admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS). With consent and approval from the Director of NIBPS and the Executive Director of CRP, CRP’s rehabilitation team has been providing ongoing on-site services since 2nd August 2025. The physiotherapist's team has delivered interventions to 27 patients, focusing on Positioning, Bed mobility training, Patient and caregiver education, Chest physiotherapy, Scar management, range of motion exercises, and breathing exercises. The Occupational Therapists have provided interventions to a number of 27 patients with Positioning, Edema Management, Splinting, carer education, ADL Practice (Self Feeding, Drawing, Writing), etc. Speech and language therapists are delivering sessions to eight patients, addressing speech clarity, swallowing difficulties, breathing, and facial rehabilitation. Counsellors are working with 13 patients and six caregivers, helping them cope with trauma, fear, sleep disturbances, and negative thoughts, while promoting acceptance and resilience. Many more survivors will continue to need long-term rehabilitation and counselling in the coming weeks. CRP believes these combined interventions are continuously restoring hope, confidence, and dignity among the survivors. CRP will continue providing services free of cost to these survivors at CRP Mirpur, Dhaka, after their discharge from the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.