Dhaka, July 23 -- In the wake of Monday's devastating Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) fighter jet crash into Milestone School and College in Uttara which has so far claimed 31 lives experts are warning about the hidden toll such tragedies can take on children's mental health.

Professor Dr Helal Uddin Ahmed, a leading child, adolescent and family psychiatrist at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), spoke to the media about how families, schools, and communities can support young survivors and witnesses struggling with trauma including what's known as 'school phobia'.

"It's entirely normal for people to feel psychological distress after a disaster," Dr Helal said. "But children and teenagers are still developing emotionally, so the im...