Despite serving for nearly a year, the interim government has failed to bring about significant improvements in the country’s law and order situation. Instead, a string of unexpected accidents, violent incidents, and administrative failures have plunged the administration into an image crisis.
The recent crash of a military fighter jet at Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of children, has added a devastating new layer to that crisis. The tragic accident killed 33 students and injured over 150 others, sparking nationwide grief and outrage. The incident also raised serious questions about conducting military training exercises over densely populated areas.
In this moment of national mourning, the government's response and follow-up actions have been widely criticised as incoherent, disorganised, and confusing—further exposing administrative shortcomings. As the crisis deepened, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus was forced to hold back-to-back meetings with various political parties.
Analysts say the disaster has once again laid bare the government's fragile preparedness for national emergencies. Negligence, delayed decision-making, and lack of coordination have all been evident. Even among the general public and political figures, questions have emerged about whether the government fully grasped the gravity of the incident.
Images and videos circulated on social media in the immediate aftermath of the crash intensified public concern. When the government announced the casualty figures, many suspected it of withholding information. Confusion also erupted over the schedule of the higher secondary examinations slated for the following day.
Instead of a timely notice from the education ministry, the postponement announcement came around 3:00 am via the Facebook pages of two other ministries’ advisers, causing students to spend the night in uncertainty. Many candidates only discovered the cancellation upon arriving at exam centres the next morning, leading to harsh criticism of the education adviser’s role.
Treatment of the injured also suffered from poor management. While the National Burn Institute overflowed with patients, several government advisers visited with full protocol, obstructing emergency medical operations. The situation grew even more chaotic as political figures flocked to the hospital, ignoring repeated requests from doctors to avoid crowding the premises.
Meanwhile, the health ministry took no effective action on the first day. Criticism even came from within the ruling circle. Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser (southern region) of the government-allied National Citizen Party (NCP), launched a scathing attack on Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum. “We have a health adviser who came through Yunus’s inner-circle quota,” he said. “This is the biggest example of nepotism. I’ve always said we don’t need this health adviser.”
Hasnat Abdullah accused the Chief Adviser of favouritism, saying the health adviser’s appointment was proof of biased recruitment.
In another controversial move, a fundraising appeal post for the victims was published and then removed from the Chief Adviser’s official social media page—further fueling criticism. According to analysts, the government's handling of the incident has been riddled with questionable decisions. Many believe that the lack of coordination and incompetence has eroded public trust in the administration.
Speaking to Banglanews, Professor Dr Dil Rowshan Zinnat Ara Nazneen of the political science department at Dhaka University said, “This was a staggering tragedy for the nation. The government has made one wrong decision after another. Public distrust is only natural. After a political uprising, people expect transparency from the government. Without that, an image crisis is inevitable.”
AB Party Chairperson Mojibur Rahman Monju told Banglanews, “In any disaster, a government faces two tests—competence and compassion. The current government has failed in both, exposing its inexperience and worsening its image crisis.”
He added, “Every time unrest brews in the country, fallen fascist forces try to exploit the moment. I am hopeful that elections will be held by February or April. But if, for any reason, the polls become uncertain, the state will plunge into a severe crisis.”
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told Banglanews, “I don’t want to make any sweeping, sensational comments about a specific incident. But it’s undeniable that multiple conspiracies—both internal and external—are at play. How far the government is responsible, that’s hard to say at this point.”
As the nation mourned the tragedy, students and guardians of Milestone School erupted in protest. Allegations surfaced of baton charges and harassment under military and police control, fueling further anger. Protest also spread to the Secretariat, where examinees voiced their fury. The delay in exam postponement and perceived negligence by the government ignited further unrest, forcing police to disperse demonstrators using tear gas and batons.
In one dramatic incident, Law Adviser Professor Asif Nazrul, Education Adviser Professor CR Abbar, and Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam were held for nearly nine hours by agitated students during their visit to the affected school. They were later escorted out with help from security forces.
Amid mounting criticism, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus held meetings with 17 political parties over two days. On the first day, he met with BNP, Jamaat, NCP, and Islami Andolon. The next day, he sat with 13 other parties including Gonosonghoti Andolon, AB Party, and Gonodhikar Parishad. While the government called for unity and cooperation, several parties criticised it harshly for lack of coordination, nepotism, and political opportunism.
Leaders attending the meetings questioned the government’s administrative capability. Several commented that the government only reaches out to political parties when under pressure. They demanded monthly all-party meetings to ensure coordinated, consensus-based governance.
Earlier, on July 16, an attack by Awami League-affiliated supporters on an NCP event in Gopalganj—despite it being officially banned—resulted in five deaths during clashes with law enforcement. The government’s failure to respond for two days, along with the viral video of a public daylight killing in Mitford, sparked public fear, outrage, and growing distrust.
While the government scrambled to control the situation, political observers noted that a known faction is exploiting the chaos for political gain. Multiple sources linked the banned Chhatra League and fascist-aligned Awami League loyalists to recent incidents of vehicle vandalism, assaults on officials inside the Secretariat, and stone-pelting at security forces.
Analysts believe a well-planned conspiracy is underway ahead of the election, with allies of the ousted Awami League infiltrating movements to derail the situation. There is growing concern that legitimate protests may be hijacked to destabilise the country.
Yet despite the uncertainty, pro-uprising political forces have continued to express willingness to cooperate with the government through July and August. However, analysts warn that to maintain this fragile alliance, the government must make visible progress on three fronts: transparency, competence, and compassion. It must also deliver on justice, reform, and electoral commitments—failure to do so risks deepening the already intensifying crisis.
