A training aircraft operated by the Bangladesh Air Force crashed into the Milestone School and College in Dhaka on Monday killing at least 19 people, including the pilot, and injuring over 100 more in what is being described as the deadliest aviation accident in the Bangladeshi capital in recent memory.
The F-7 BGI fighter jet had taken off at 1:06 p.m. local time and plummeted into the school campus located in Uttara shortly after takeoff. The aircraft exploded upon impact, igniting a blaze that spread quickly through parts of the facility where classes were ongoing.
Authorities said most of the victims were students. Emergency responders and bystanders used rickshaws and improvised stretchers to rush the injured to nearby hospitals, while panicked relatives flocked to the scene amid screams, smoke, and chaos.
Bangladesh’s interim head of government, Muhammad Yunus, expressed profound sorrow over what he called a “heartbreaking accident” and vowed a thorough investigation. “This is a moment of deep national grief,” he said in a statement. “The loss is irreparable—not only for the Air Force, but also for the students, parents, teachers, and our entire community.”
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Military sources and aviation experts have so far not ruled out mechanical failure, though no immediate explanation has been provided.
The F-7 BGI, a Chinese-built aircraft modelled after the Soviet-era MiG-21, has been used in Bangladesh for years for pilot training purposes. While previous incidents involving the F-7 have occurred, none have had such a devastating impact on civilians in a populated urban area.
Witnesses described scenes of devastation at Milestone School and College, an institution that accommodates over 2,000 students from primary through twelfth grade.
“I was terrified watching the videos on TV,” said 16-year-old Rafiqa Taha, a student who was not on campus at the time. “My God! It’s my school.”
Firefighters and army rescue units were deployed to secure the site and search for survivors. Hospitals in Dhaka reported being overwhelmed by the influx of burn and trauma patients, many of them children.
In a press briefing late Monday, officials assured the public that all necessary support is being extended to affected families, and that counselling services will be made available to traumatised students and staff.
As the nation mourns, the disaster has raised renewed concerns about the proximity of military aviation operations to densely populated areas, particularly schools and residential zones in Dhaka.
The crash comes at a time when Bangladesh is preparing for a general election and faces heightened scrutiny of public safety and infrastructure management. While aviation experts caution against speculation, the tragedy is likely to prompt calls for a review of military flight paths and stricter air safety protocols.
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