Tragedy in Dhaka: A Deadly Crash at Milestone School and College
On July 21, 2025, at approximately 1:06 p.m. Bangladesh Standard Time, a Bangladesh Air Force F‑7 BGI training jet took off from BAF Base A.K. Khandaker in Dhaka’s Kurmitola area. Minutes into the training flight, the jet suffered a mechanical malfunction, becoming unresponsive and stalling.
Flight Lieutenant Md Towkir Islam Sagar—on his first solo mission—was instructed by control tower personnel to eject. However, due to the low altitude, he could not safely do so. Instead, he attempted to steer the stricken aircraft away from densely populated neighborhoods toward a more open area in Diabari, but was unsuccessful.
Impact & Site
The jet slammed into Milestone School and College in Uttara, a densely populated northern suburb of Dhaka. It crashed into the front gate and the two‑storey Haider Ali building, where classes for younger students and a canteen were located. The aircraft pierced through one side of the building and exited the other, causing a massive explosion and fire.
Footage and eyewitness accounts described chaotic scenes: thick black smoke, flames engulfing parts of the campus, and students and teachers screaming and fleeing in panic. The crash occurred shortly before the usual school break, when hundreds of students—some in nursery through grade 8—were in session.
Casualties & Injuries
Initial reports confirmed at least 19 people were killed on the ground, most of them schoolchildren—and the pilot also died from injuries sustained in the crash.
However, as rescue operations continued, the death toll rose. Multiple sources later confirmed 27 fatalities, including 25 children, a teacher who died saving students, and the pilot—making it one of the deadliest aviation-related civilian incidents in Bangladesh’s capital in decades.
The number of injured exceeded 170 people, many suffering severe burns and trauma. Hospitals, especially the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, were overwhelmed with victims, including many aged between 8 and 14.
Teachers and staff attempted immediate rescue. Army personnel and fire departments arrived by 1:22 p.m., with nine fire units and six ambulances dispatched. Because of ambulance shortages, injured students were transported in rickshaws and carried in the arms of rescuers to nearby hospitals. The fire was under control by around 2:45 p.m.
Official Response & Aftermath
Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, declared July 22 a national day of mourning, ordering flags to fly at half‑mast. Yunus vowed a thorough investigation and assistance to victims’ families.
The Bangladesh Air Force established a high-level investigation committee, attributing the crash preliminarily to technical failure and emphasizing the pilot’s efforts to avoid densely populated zones before impact.
Aircraft Context & Safety Concerns
The F‑7 BGI is the most advanced variant of China’s Chengdu J‑7 family, delivered to Bangladesh between 2013 and 2022. While considered upgraded, it remains outdated compared to modern trainers, and previous incidents have raised long-standing concerns over the safety of Chinese-made military jets in the region.
Experts and students alike demanded accountability, safe replacement of aging aircraft, full disclosure of casualties, and justice for victims. Demonstrations, especially from Milestone students, called for transparency and compensation for affected families.
Conclusion
This crash—occurring during routine training—has resulted in one of Bangladesh’s worst peacetime civilian tragedies: 25 children, a teacher, and the pilot among 27 fatalities, and more than 170 injured. It’s a human catastrophe that has shaken the nation to its core, highlighting urgent questions about aviation safety, emergency preparedness, and the need for modernization of military training aircraft.