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Published : 05 Mar 2026, 11:39 PM
Maherin Chowdhury, the Milestone School and College teacher who sacrificed her life to save 20 students during a plane crash at the campus last year, has been named for the 2026 Independence Award, the nation’s highest civilian honour.
The government on Thursday announced the names of 15 distinguished individuals and five organisations in recognition of their glorious and outstanding contributions.
Maherin is being honoured posthumously in the social service and public service category.
On Jul 21, 2025, a training aircraft crashed into a building at Milestone School and College in Uttara during class hours. As the building was engulfed in flames and smoke, Maherin, an English teacher, prioritised the safety of her students over her own life.
She successfully moved 20 children to safety but was trapped by the fire in the process. With severe burns over most of her body, she was rushed to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
Maherin passed away at 9:45pm that night while on life support. She was later buried at her family graveyard in Bogulagari, Jaldhaka, Nilphamari.
Maherin was the daughter of Mohitur Rahman, a cousin of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman.
Zia’s wife Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister who passed away last year, is also among the 15 individuals receiving this year’s Independence Award.
Speaking to bdnews24.com, her husband Mansur Helal expressed deep gratitude for the state’s recognition of her bravery.
“We applaud the government’s move to preserve my wife’s memory. While the void left by her absence can never be filled by any award, this recognition reminds us that her sacrifice is valued by the people of this country,” he said.
“She died so that 20 children could return to their mothers' arms. Her ideals give me and our two sons the strength to move forward. I am trying to raise our boys with the same values she left behind.”
