#thenewscompany : A Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) FT-7BGI training jet on a routine flight crashed into the Milestone School and College campus in Uttara, Dhaka, on Monday afternoon. The aircraft took off from Kurmitola Air Base at 1:06 pm and soon encountered a mechanical failure. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Md Towkir Islam Sagar, reportedly fought to steer the stricken jet away from populated areas. Despite his efforts, the fighter plunged into a two-story school building (the campus canteen and adjacent blocks) in Diabari, Uttara, around 1:18 pm, sparking a massive explosion and fire.
Casualties and School Damage
At least 19 people have died in the crash, including the pilot. Many of the victims were students. The government media office confirmed that most of the victims were students at Milestone School and College in Uttara, and fire service officials reported over a hundred wounded, including dozens in critical condition. Doctors at Dhaka Medical College said a third-grade student arrived dead, and three others two boys (12 and 14) and an adult staff member (40) were critically injured and treated for severe burns. Videos from the scene show the jet’s engine lodged in a gaping hole in the school wall, with shattered grills and charred debris everywhere. Over 50 burn victims (children and adults) were reported admitted to burn units, many with grave injuries. Teachers said the crash and ensuing fire turned the building into a death trap in an instant, with smoke and flames pouring through corridors as panicked students fled.
Families and rescuers gather beside the wreckage of the crashed BAF training jet. The aircraft struck Milestone School’s buildings, causing a large fire. Smoke and debris litter the lawn outside the campus.
School officials later reported that the jet first struck a larger seven-story academic block (Block 7) before crashing into a two-story annex where younger students were gathering. Classes for the youngest grades had just let out, and witnesses said many toddlers and primary students were evacuating when the plane hit. One ninth-grader, Minhaz, recalled: I saw the plane hit the seven-story building and then crash into the two-story building. Immediately, fire broke out. Everyone was screaming and running. Another teacher, Nuruzzaman Mridha, said that although classes had ended around 1 pm, many students were waiting for private coaching. Many of our students were injured and have been sent to various hospitals.
Rescue Efforts and Official Response
First responders rushed to the scene within minutes. The Fire Service and Civil Defence control room received the crash report at 1:18 pm and dispatched at least eight fire units from across Dhaka. Firefighters quickly doused the blaze and searched the school building for victims. Police, Army engineers and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troops were also deployed: a BGB press release confirmed three platoons assisting police and rescuers at Milestone College. Dozens of ambulances ferried the injured to nearby hospitals (Uttara Adhunik, Dhaka Medical College, Kurmitola General, and others). The National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery admitted over 30 patients with severe burns and set up a hotline for worried families. One metro train car was reserved to transport injured students to hospitals on the campus campus as needed.
Authorities have declared Tuesday (July 22) a national day of mourning for the victims. The government ordered all flags flown at half-mast and called for special prayers across religious sites. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus expressed deep shock and sorrow at the loss and said necessary measures will be taken to investigate the cause and assist victims’ families. Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul, who rushed to the burn treatment center, called the incident an unprecedented national tragedy. He vowed top-level medical care for injured students and solemnly remarked, What we have lost today…cannot be compensated by anything. Aid agencies have mobilized relief: the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society appealed for donations to help victims.
Ongoing Investigation
The Bangladesh Air Force and Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) office have formed a high-level inquiry board to determine the exact cause of the crash. ISPR statements confirm the jet suffered a technical fault after takeoff and that the pilot tried to divert it to a less-populated area before impact. A BAF spokesperson said the FT-7BGI the most advanced variant of China’s J-7/F-7 family encountered a mechanical failure shortly after leaving Kurmitola base. Further details will be released once investigators review the flight data and wreckage. For now, officials assure the public that every effort is being made to learn from this disaster.
