I often see my neighbour, a beautiful young woman, taking her two lovely kids to school in the morning. I often meet them in the elevator. The elder one is a second grader, while the younger one goes to kindergarten. Both are smart, lovely kids.
But on Wednesday, I saw just their mother standing alone by the elevator. The kids weren't with her.
I asked, "What's going on? Where are the kids? Aren't they going to school today?"
She replied in a heavy voice, "Apa, what can I say? After hearing about the Uttara incident, they don't want to go to school anymore. They keep saying, 'What if a plane crashes into our school too? What will happen then? We'll die! We'll burn!' They're so scared, apa! Their grandfather watches the news all day, and the kids watch it with him. Now they're completely consumed with fear."
Listening to her, I realised that while us adults are already stunned, speechless, and overwhelmed with grief by such a horrific incident, the impact on these innocent children and their delicate minds is unimaginable. The fear, confusion, and emotional pressure must be immense.
I softly told the worried mother, "Don't push them. Let them skip school for a few days. Hopefully, they'll start to feel normal again soon."
That was all I could offer, a few words of consolation to a distressed mother.
Those children, at least, are from a different school.
But I kept thinking about the students of Milestone School and College.
The school where they spent so much of their day has now turned into a place of terror for them.
The classmates were laughing and playing just the day before; some of them are no longer alive. And those who survived may now be lying in hospital beds, fighting for their lives with severe burn injuries.
Can the children who made it out alive ever forget the deafening sound of the crash? Can they ever forget the deadly flames or the screams of the injured?
The seed of fear, the overwhelming sense of helplessness that has now taken root in their young minds—who can guarantee that it won't lead to lasting psychological trauma in the years to come?
This trauma, this deep psychological wound etched into the memories of children and adolescents, can linger for a long time, like an unhealed scar. For some, these distressing memories may even have long-term effects.
In our country, mental health has always been a neglected issue. And when it comes to the mental well-being of children and adolescents, there is a serious lack of awareness. That's why there's a lingering doubt: will their trauma be taken seriously at all?
I heard somewhere that the school has announced plans to provide counselling for the students.
But that must not be a token gesture or something done just for formality. It would be best if professional mental health experts were involved. Some children may need intensive psychological care.
To protect the soft, sensitive minds of children and adolescents, parents, teachers, and all adults must act responsibly.
Mental health must be taken seriously. We need to create a safe and supportive environment both at home and at school so that children feel secure and cared for.
As a mother, I can say that sometimes, knowingly or unknowingly, we behave in ways that worsen a child's mental state.
For example, we might say things like:
"Look how calm so-and-so is—why can't you be like that?"
"Nothing happened to you, just go study."
"Stop acting out—go to sleep right now."
But not all children react the same way to traumatic events, and that's completely normal. Forcing children to suppress their emotions is not right.
Instead, they need time, patience, and the reassuring presence of loved ones to return to a sense of normalcy.
Right now, we are marking the anniversary of the July Uprising. One year ago, in this blood-soaked month, our children lost their beloved friends and classmates. They witnessed horrific police brutality with their own eyes. Many still haven't recovered from that trauma.
The teenage son of one of my friends was out on the streets during the July Uprising. Even now, he wakes up from nightmares. He still struggles to focus on his studies. He is currently receiving therapy under the guidance of a mental health specialist.
And countless other children and adolescents are battling deep trauma—falling into depression, living with anxiety, fear, and hopelessness, and gradually slipping away from a normal life.
Have we taken any steps, either from the government or from private organisations, to support them?
Shahnaz Munni is a writer and Journalist
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