Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman has issued a statement urging the nation to remain united and composed in the wake of the tragic Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crash that resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries.
In a statement issued at midnight on Tuesday, Tarique called on all democratic organisations to uphold peace and solidarity during this period of national mourning.
鈥榃e must build a society grounded in tolerance and self-restraint, moving away from divisive conflict and mob agitation,鈥� he said.
Indicating the Awami League鈥檚 student wing, Chhatra League, Tarique said that there had been worrying reports of some members of a banned student political organisation provoking tension between the public and the police, as well as inciting violence.
鈥楽uch groups should refrain from attempting to exploit this tragic moment in Bangladesh鈥檚 history for their own gain,鈥� he said.
On Monday, a Bangladesh Air Force training plane crashed into a building at Milestone School and College in Uttara. So far, 32 people have died and 164 have been injured, most of them children who were students at the school.
Tarique said that instead of creating unrest, the nation should focus on coming together and demonstrating compassion and unity.
He emphasised that efforts should be directed towards finding missing loved ones, accurately accounting for the deceased, ensuring the best possible treatment for the injured and allowing the authorities to carry out a fair investigation into the root cause of the plane crash.
鈥極ur heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies go to the innocent victims and their grieving families. Bangladesh must remain united and confront every crisis with solidarity,鈥� the statement concluded.
The statement was issued hours after chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus met with representatives of four major political parties 鈥� the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party and Islami Andolan Bangladesh.
During the meeting, the chief adviser called for cooperation from political parties to help maintain stability in the country following the crash of the Bangladesh Air Force training jet.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and its standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury joined the meeting held at the state guest house Jamuna in Dhaka.
