A Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into Milestone School and College in Dhaka, killing at least 19, mostly students and injuring over 50. The tragedy has sparked national mourning and an urgent government probe as images of burning wreckage and student casualties shock the nation.
A devastating air disaster struck Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, when a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crashed into the Milestone School and College campus, killing at least 19 people, mostly students and injuring more than 50 others. The F-7 BGI fighter jet, used for training purposes, crashed at approximately 1pm local time (07:00 GMT) in Uttara, a densely populated area of the capital, sending shockwaves across the country.
The aircraft reportedly plummeted into the middle of an active school session, when hundreds of students were either taking exams or attending regular classes. According to fire services officials and local media outlets, the incident has left a tragic scar on Bangladesh’s academic and aviation sectors.
Hospitals have been overwhelmed with the injured. A doctor at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery confirmed to reporters that more than 50 people, including children and school staff, were hospitalized with varying degrees of burns.
Video footage from the scene shows a large blaze near the college lawn, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky as students and bystanders fled in panic. Firefighters rushed to the scene, spraying water on the burning wreckage, which had gouged a massive hole into the side of a school building and twisted its metal grilles.
Dr. Bidhan Sarker, head of the burn unit at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, stated: “A third-grade student was brought in dead. Three others aged 12, 14, and 40 were admitted with severe injuries.”
Masud Tarik, a teacher at the school who narrowly escaped, recounted the moment of terror: “I was picking up my kids and heading to the gate when I heard an explosion from behind. I turned around and saw fire and smoke engulfing the area.”
Bangladesh’s interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus called the tragedy “irreparable” and pledged immediate action. “Necessary measures will be taken to investigate the cause of this tragic accident. The loss to the air force, students, parents, and teachers is beyond words,” he said.
An emergency hotline has been activated at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery to assist families of the victims. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society also issued a public appeal for urgent blood and financial donations to support the wounded and their families.
The crash comes just over a month after another major aviation tragedy in the region an Air India flight crashed into a hostel in Ahmedabad, India, killing 241 people onboard and 19 on the ground. That crash had already been declared the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade, and now this incident in Dhaka adds another grim chapter to South Asia’s aviation history.
Authorities have confirmed that a high-level inquiry is underway to determine the cause of the crash, including possible technical failure or pilot error. The Bangladesh Air Force has yet to release an official statement.
The government has also announced support packages for the affected families and school community, as vigils are held across the country for the young lives lost in the blaze.
