In a devastating accident on Monday, a Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet crashed into the Milestone School and College in the Uttara neighbourhood of Dhaka, killing 19 people, including a Class VI student, 16 other children, and two teachers. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Mohammed Toukir Islam, also lost his life in the crash, which occurred early in the afternoon.
The fighter aircraft, an F-7BGI — an upgraded variant of the Chinese J-7 — took off at 1:06 PM on a routine training mission before crashing shortly afterward into the school premises, where regular classes and tests were underway. The sudden tragedy left over 100 others injured, many with severe burns, and they were rushed to nearby hospitals, including an Army-run medical facility.
Bangladesh’s interim Prime Minister Mohammed Yunus expressed “deep grief and sorrow” in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “This is a moment of profound pain for the nation. The loss suffered by the Air Force, students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College is irreparable.”
Eyewitness accounts and disturbing footage from the scene revealed the horror. Videos showed fire and thick smoke pouring from the wreckage, emergency responders dousing flames, and distraught bystanders helping the injured. One viral video captured the jet engine buried in classroom rubble, while another showed an injured man being carried away, his body covered in soot and torn clothing.
Rafiqa Taha, a 16-year-old student of the school who was not present at the time, said, “I was terrified watching videos on TV… My God! It’s my school.”
Milestone School and College, home to around 2,000 students ranging from elementary to Class XII, is now the site of national mourning. The crash has sparked serious questions about flight safety procedures in densely populated urban areas, especially near educational institutions.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, while families and the nation mourn this heartbreaking loss of young lives and educational leaders.
