Bangladesh Military Jet Crash Kills 25 in Dhaka

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Bangladesh Military Jet Crash Kills 25 in Dhaka \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A Bangladeshi Air Force jet crashed into a school in Dhaka, killing 25 people and injuring over 170, most of them children. The pilot, who also died, attempted to divert the aircraft after a technical failure. The tragedy has prompted national mourning and international condolences.

Quick Looks

F-7 BGI training jet crashed into Milestone School in Dhaka, killing 25.
The crash injured 171 people, including more than 60 schoolchildren with burns.
Pilot Flight Lt. Toukir Islam attempted to divert the plane from crowded areas.
Initial death toll of 20 rose after five died overnight in hospitals.
The school, located in Dhaka’s densely populated Uttara neighborhood, was heavily damaged.
Students were evacuated by fire crews, parents, rickshaws, and ambulances.
Authorities blame a “technical malfunction” shortly after the 1:06 p.m. takeoff.
Rescue efforts continued into the evening as bodies were recovered.
A national day of mourning was declared for Tuesday.
Indian PM Modi expressed condolences and offered assistance.

Deep Look

In a heartbreaking tragedy that has shocked Bangladesh and drawn international sympathy, a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a school in the capital city Dhaka on Monday afternoon, killing 25 people and injuring 171 others, most of them students.

The F-7 BGI aircraft, a Chinese-built military training jet, took off at 1:06 p.m. local time from A.K. Khandaker Air Base, just 11 kilometers from the crash site. According to an official military statement, the aircraft suffered a technical malfunction almost immediately after takeoff. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Mohammed Toukir Islam, made a last-ditch attempt to redirect the plane away from densely populated areas but was unable to avoid crashing into Milestone School and College in the city’s Uttara neighborhood.

The impact triggered a massive fire in the school’s two-story building, leaving a path of devastation in a community unprepared for such a disaster.

Devastation at a School Full of Students

More than 60 students between the ages of 12 and 16 were transferred to specialized burn units. Survivors were evacuated in everything from ambulances and military helicopters to rickshaws and the arms of firefighters and distraught parents. Some had severe burns; others were injured by falling debris or smoke inhalation.

Initial reports indicated 20 fatalities, but that number rose to 25 after five more victims succumbed to their injuries overnight. Doctors warned late Monday that at least two dozen victims remained in critical condition.

Witnesses described a terrifying explosion that shook the school building. “We felt the entire structure tremble. Then there was a blast, and everything turned to smoke and screams,” said one student.

Outside the Uttara Adhunik Hospital, dozens of relatives spent the night waiting for news of their loved ones. Among them was Mohammed Abdur Rahim, who searched frantically for his missing cousin Afia Akter. “Doctors here have asked us to check other hospitals,” he told reporters through tears.

A Nation in Grief

The Bangladeshi government declared Tuesday a national day of mourning, with flags flying at half-staff across the country. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus called the incident a “moment of deep national grief” and pledged a full investigation into the crash.

“This is a heartbreaking accident,” he said in a televised address. “We will investigate every detail, and we will support every family affected.”

At the crash site, scenes of desperation and grief continued. A father ran through the smoke holding his injured daughter. A mother found her younger child alive but sobbed while searching for her older one. “The plane crashed on the building where my daughter was,” said another father, Jewel, who goes by one name. “When I got here, the building was on fire. I saw a child’s body lying on the ground.”

Pilot’s Heroic Effort Acknowledged

The military praised the pilot’s efforts, saying Lt. Islam tried to veer the plane toward less populated areas. “He made every effort to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas,” the statement said. Tragically, he died in the crash.

This is the deadliest aviation disaster in Dhaka in recent memory. In 2008, another F-7 jet crashed just outside the capital, killing its pilot. Monday’s accident has raised renewed concerns over the aging fleet of F-7 aircraft still in service.

International Reactions and Emotional Tributes

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed shock and grief over the accident. “India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

In an emotional moment on the soccer field, Mosammat Sagorika, a 17-year-old forward on Bangladesh’s Under-20 Women’s team, dedicated her four-goal performance in a match against Nepal to the crash victims. “We are all very sad,” she said after the game.

Even students who weren’t at the school during the crash struggled to process the trauma. “I was terrified watching the videos on TV,” said 16-year-old Rafiqa Taha. “My God! It’s my school.”

Rescue and Recovery Continue

By Monday evening, rescue teams were still combing through smoldering debris, aided by cranes and bulldozers. Authorities said the final toll may still rise as more victims are located and critical injuries are treated.

Investigators from the Bangladesh Air Force and Civil Aviation Authority have been assigned to determine what caused the aircraft’s failure. Meanwhile, grief-stricken families continue to wait, and a shocked nation prepares to honor its dead.