Info gap on student IDs delays lifesaving care after crash

Staff Reporter Published: 22 July 2025, 04:59 PM
Info gap on student IDs delays lifesaving care after crash

In the aftermath of the warplane crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara, injured students were rushed to various hospitals, many unconscious and unable to speak. 

Despite wearing school-issued ID cards around their necks, medical teams faced significant delays in identifying the students and initiating emergency treatment.

The reason? The ID cards contained only basic details – student name, class, and code number – missing critical information such as blood group, guardian’s name, and contact number.

This omission has sparked widespread concern and criticism, both on the ground and across social media platforms like Facebook, where many are questioning how a reputed institution like Milestone could issue such inadequate identification.

Rescue workers and eyewitnesses described the chaos during the emergency response. 

"Many of the injured were unconscious," said one volunteer involved in the rescue. "We couldn’t determine who they were or what blood type they had – information vital for transfusions and urgent care. The ID cards provided no help. With so many children sharing common names, even names alone weren't enough for quick identification. If the guardian’s name had been listed, we could have acted faster."

Parents and students alike have expressed frustration over the oversight.

“This is a major educational institution – surely the authorities know what an ID card should contain?” said parent Happy Akhter. “How can a student’s blood group be left out? What’s the point of an ID card if it doesn’t have essential information? It’s unacceptable.”

Another student, Mahmudul Nayan, added: “An ID card should allow someone to contact a student’s family in an emergency. Why isn’t a family phone number included? We had to shout things like ‘There’s a child with code number X in the hospital’ – that’s not how it should work. This system needs urgent reform.”

In response to the growing criticism, Md Masud Alam, Vice-Principal (Administration) at Milestone School and College, acknowledged the shortcomings. “Our ID cards have followed this format for years,” he said. 

“But now we clearly understand the situation. We will revise the design and include all necessary emergency information – such as blood group and guardian contact details - in future ID cards.”

As the community mourns lives lost and supports the injured, calls are mounting for schools nationwide to review their emergency preparedness – and ensure that student IDs serve not just as identification, but as lifelines in crises.