Schoolchildren, firefighters, soldiers get injured in Bangladesh jet crash
(MENAFN) The death toll from a tragic military jet crash on a school building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, rose to 27 on Tuesday, with officials confirming that 25 of the victims were children. The crash, which occurred on Monday, has left the nation in mourning and prompted a government investigation.
According to Dr. Md Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the head of the interim government, at least 78 others—including students, firefighters, and soldiers—are hospitalized, many with critical burn injuries. Of the deceased, 20 have been identified and returned to their families, while six bodies remain unidentified.
Among the victims were the pilot, Mohammad Towkir Islam Sagar, and Meherin Chowdhury, a teacher at Milestone College who is being hailed as a hero after reportedly saving 20 students before succumbing to injuries.
The crash involved a Chinese-made FT-7 BGI two-seater training jet that took off from Dhaka’s AK Khandaker airbase. The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) unit said the aircraft developed a “mechanical fault” shortly after takeoff. Though the pilot attempted to divert the aircraft away from residential zones, it crashed into Milestone School and College in the Diabari neighborhood around noon—just 10 minutes after takeoff.
Video footage from the scene showed plumes of black smoke and raging flames engulfing the building. Witnesses described scenes of chaos and panic as students fled for safety.
Rakibul Islam, the uncle of an eighth-grade student, told Anadolu Agency that his nephew narrowly escaped the blaze. “The aircraft crashed just about 10 minutes before the school was out for the primary section. Students have gone into trauma. My nephew barely speaks after escaping the fire,” he said.
In response to the tragedy, the interim government declared Tuesday a national day of mourning, and the Education Ministry suspended that day's higher secondary public exam.
Rescue operations have now concluded, though Navy personnel remain on site to support recovery efforts and monitor the situation. An official probe has been launched to determine the cause of the mechanical failure and assess broader safety concerns within the military aviation sector.
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