In a devastating incident that has shocked the nation, a Bangladesh jet crash into a school in Dhaka on Monday has claimed the lives of at least 20 people, including 17 children, and left over 170 injured. The crash occurred when a Bangladeshi Air Force F-7 training aircraft suffered a mechanical failure shortly after taking off and slammed into Milestone School and College in Uttara, a suburb of the capital.
The scene’s footage showed heavy black smoke rising into the sky as a fireball erupted from the two-story school building. At approximately 13:00 local time, minutes after pupils had completed their classes and were leaving the school grounds, the Dhaka school tragedy occurred.
According to the Bangladesh Armed Forces, the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Md. Taukir Islam, was among the deceased. Reports suggest he made a desperate attempt to steer the aircraft away from a densely populated area but was unable to avoid impact. The jet had only just departed from a nearby air force base for a routine training flight when it developed a technical fault.
Horror scenes were described by eyewitnesses. The plane crashed “directly into the building,” according to Rezaul Islam, a teacher at the school. Masud Tarik, another instructor, reported that parents and kids fled for safety as the explosion rocked the region. He remembered, “I saw only smoke and fire.”
A Year 10 student who had just completed an exam said he watched the Bangladesh jet crash unfold in front of his eyes. Tragically, his best friend was one of the victims.
Emergency services rushed to the scene within minutes. Rescue workers and volunteers combed through charred rubble, searching for survivors. Many victims were rushed to nearby hospitals, including the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, where more than 50 people were being treated for severe injuries, including jet fuel burns. Doctors said many of the injured were aged between 10 and 15 years old.
The Health Ministry confirmed victims were spread across seven different hospitals in Dhaka. Heart-wrenching scenes played out at emergency rooms, as families searched desperately for missing children. One man stood by his grieving brother and said his eight-year-old nephew had died. “My beloved nephew is in the morgue now,” he said tearfully.
In response to the Dhaka school tragedy, Bangladesh’s interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus issued a statement expressing national grief. He promised a thorough investigation and directed all relevant authorities to prioritize the care of the injured. “This is a moment of deep sorrow for the nation,” he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
A government investigation committee has been formed to determine the exact cause of the mechanical failure that led to the crash. The Bangladeshi government has also declared Tuesday a National Day of Mourning, with the flag to be flown at half-mast across the country.
This Bangladesh jet crash marks one of the deadliest air-related incidents in the country’s recent history, and leaves behind a nation in collective mourning.
