Tragedy in
Uttara: Bangladesh Air Force Jet Crashes into School
What happened
On Monday,
July 21, 2025, tragedy struck Dhaka’s northern suburb of Uttara when a
Bangladesh Air Force Chengdu FT‑7BGI jet crashed into the Milestone School
and College campus. The aircraft had taken off from the nearby BAF Base
Bir Uttom A.K. Khandker at around 1:06 p.m. local time and, due to a
catastrophic technical failure, plummeted into the school's junior section
shortly after lift-off.
In addition to
sending shockwaves across the playground and classrooms where students were
taking exams and attending regular classes, the crash set off a massive
fireball that tore through a two-story school building. Many described the
explosion as resembling an earthquake—windows shattered, walls trembled, and
panicked cries filled the campus.
 |
| Bangladesh Air Force Jet Crashes into School |
Casualties and
damage
- Twenty people were killed: the pilot and nineteen people on the ground, including at least seventeen children.
- Injuries: Over 170 individuals suffered wounds, most under age 16. Many were burned and required intensive care; more than 60 students were admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
- Parents
and teachers rushed to the scene, some carrying children in their arms to
waiting emergency vehicles and rickshaws as ambulances were overwhelmed.
Heroic pilot,
harrowing outcome
The lone pilot,
Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam Sagar, was flying the aircraft during a
standard training flight. After the engine failure unfolded immediately
post-takeoff, he reportedly fought to maneuver the jet away from residential
zones and densely populated streets. Witnesses say he veered toward the school
grounds—possibly to avoid even more catastrophic urban impacts.
He ejected
seconds before impact and was found alive at first. Despite being rushed to the
Combined Military Hospital, Flight Lieutenant Sagar succumbed to his injuries
around 4:20 p.m., hours after the crash.
Aftermath and
response
- The
government declared Tuesday, July 22, a National Day of Mourning,
and flags were flown at half-staff.
- Interim
leader Muhammad Yunus publicly expressed deep sorrow, calling it a
moment of profound national grief, and pledged a thorough investigation by
a high-level Air Force committee.
- Firefighters
and rescue teams battled flare-ups through the afternoon, removing debris
with heavy equipment and conducting search-and-rescue operations late into
the evening.
·
An urgent appeal for blood donations
and emergency medical assistance was made by the Uttara community and school
personnel.
Bangladesh Air Force Jet Crashes into School
What we know
about the FT‑7BGI
The FT‑7BGI is
the two-seat training version of China's advanced F‑7 fighter aircraft,
imported by Bangladesh beginning in the early 2010s. Tail number 701,
the ill-fated jet, was part of No. 35 Squadron and had undergone routine
service since entering the fleet in 2013. The incident is Bangladesh’s
deadliest military-related crash involving civilian casualties in recent
memory.
What happens
next
An official
investigation—already underway—will seek to determine whether mechanical
failure, maintenance oversight, or operational error triggered the emergency.
The Air Force has vowed full transparency. Meanwhile, families of the victims
grapple with grief and uncertainty, and the crash raises urgent questions about
flight safety protocols in proximity to communities and schools.
This calamity
is a stark reminder of how quickly routine training missions can turn
catastrophic, especially near densely populated areas. The loss of young
students and a brave pilot will leave a lasting scar on Uttara’s tight-knit
community and the nation as a whole. As Bangladesh mourns, the coming days will
reveal whether improved safeguards and accountability measures can emerge from
this heartbreaking incident.
0 Comments