Daijiworld Media Network - Dhaka
Dhaka, Jul 21: Tragedy struck Bangladesh’s capital on Monday afternoon when a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a school building in Uttara, Dhaka, killing at least 19 people and injuring over 160—many of them children.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the ill-fated F-7 BGI aircraft had taken off at 1:06 PM and lost control within 25 minutes, crashing directly into the Milestone School and College campus. Among the deceased is the pilot of the aircraft.
The crash site—a two-storey school building—was bustling with activity at the time of impact. "The ground floor housed third and fourth-grade classrooms, while second and fifth-grade classes were held on the upper floor. A principal’s office and a coaching centre were also operating during the incident,” said Brigadier General Mohammad Zahed Kamal, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos and horror. A teacher at Milestone College told The Daily Star that he saw the jet slam into the school’s front facade, trapping numerous students inside. Staff members quickly attempted to free the children before army personnel and firefighters arrived to lead the rescue operations.
Emergency services responded swiftly. Eight fire service units from Uttara, Tongi, Pallabi, Kurmitola, Mirpur, and Purbachal were deployed to the crash site. Military teams cordoned off the area as rescue operations intensified.
Video footage shared across social media platforms captured scenes of panic and urgency, with injured students and staff being rushed to nearby hospitals. Those wounded were admitted to multiple medical facilities across Dhaka, including Uttara Adhunik Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Kurmitola General Hospital, Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital, Uttara Women’s Medical College, and Shaheed Monsur Ali Medical College Hospital.
Authorities have yet to provide details on what caused the crash, but investigations are underway. The incident has shocked the nation and raised concerns about the safety of military training flights over densely populated areas.
The government is expected to declare a national day of mourning as rescue and recovery operations continue late into the evening.