A catastrophic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) training jet into a school in Dhaka’s Uttara has claimed the lives of at least 20 people, most of them children, leaving more than 171 others injured, many critically burned. The tragedy unfolded on Monday afternoon when the F-7 BGI aircraft slammed into a primary school building at Milestone College’s campus in Diabari shortly after takeoff.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the aircraft departed BAF Base Bir Uttom AK Khandker at 1:06pm. Mere minutes later, the fighter jet developed a technical malfunction mid-air and plummeted into the school compound between 1:10pm and 1:15pm. The crash ignited a massive blaze, triggering a race against time to save as many lives as possible.
Children, some as young as six, along with teachers and parents, were trapped inside the burning school. Rescue teams comprising members of the Bangladesh Army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), police, and Fire Service responded immediately. Firefighters arrived on the scene within minutes and battled intense flames for over an hour before bringing the situation under control by 2:45pm.
Flight Lieutenant Md Towkir Islam, the pilot of the ill-fated aircraft, managed to eject before the crash but sustained life-threatening injuries. He was rushed to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), where he later succumbed to his wounds.
Fire Service Director General Brigadier General Md Jahed Kamal, leading the rescue operation, confirmed that at least 19 bodies were recovered from the school premises. Many of the victims were burned beyond recognition. “The exact death toll may rise as salvage efforts continue,” he warned. Medical facilities across Dhaka are overwhelmed. According to ISPR, over 170 injured people have been admitted to various hospitals, including 70 at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS), 17 at CMH, and dozens more at DMCH, Lubana General Hospital, and others. Many victims are battling severe burns, with eight reportedly in critical condition. Parents and relatives of the missing gathered outside hospitals, sobbing and pleading for updates as medical teams fought to save lives. Some parents described carrying their burned children to hospitals on rickshaws, their clothes torn and skin charred. Eyewitnesses recounted terrifying scenes. Sabbir Ahmed, a cleaner who witnessed the crash, said the aircraft appeared to be circling  to align with the airport runway but suddenly lost altitude and crashed. “I saw two jets; one flew away, but the other struggled in the air before crashing.”
Students, too, are in shock. Naimul Hasan Adit, a first-year college student, recalled seeing the jet hit Building No 7 before crashing into the primary school. “The pilot ejected with a parachute just before impact, but the plane was already too close to the building,” he said.
According to officials, the building housed classrooms for grades 1 through 8, a canteen, and administrative offices. Although school hours had officially ended, many children and some parents were still inside when the crash occurred.
Firefighters said that, had classes still been in full session, the death toll could have been even higher.
Security forces cordoned off the crash site as rescue teams continued their operation late into the evening. BAF has opened a 24/7 emergency control room to coordinate rescue and support efforts, including blood donation drives for burn victims.
Authorities have pledged a full investigation into the incident. Early reports suggest a critical technical failure shortly after takeoff, though detailed findings are awaited.
Meanwhile, Dhaka mourns the loss of innocent lives. Families wait in anguish at hospital corridors. Teachers, once guardians of their students’ futures, now grapple with their absence. And a school playground, once filled with laughter, stands scarred as a grim symbol of the day’s tragedy.
Meanwhile, the government has declared a one-day state mourning today following the crash of a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft on the Milestone School and College campus, according to Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.
The national flag will be flown at half-mast in all government, semi-government, autonomous institutions, educational institutions and private buildings of the country as well as Bangladesh missions abroad to observe mourning.        
Special prayers will be offered at all mosques and other places of worship in the country for seeking recovery of the injured and eternal peace of the departed souls of the deceased.