The usual sounds of lessons and laughter at Milestone School and College in Dhaka were abruptly shattered by a thunderous crash, leaving behind silence, smoke, and heartbreak. At least 19 people were killed and more than 70 injured on Monday, July 21, 2025, when a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into the school building, prompting a massive emergency response and national mourning.
The crash occurred during school hours when the China-made F-7 BGI aircraft struck the Milestone School and College building in Dhaka’s Uttara area. According to military officials, the jet had taken off just minutes earlier before losing control and hitting the three-story structure.
The military’s public relations department stated, “Bangladesh Air Force’s F-7 BGI training aircraft crashed in Uttara. The aircraft took off at 13:06 (0706 GMT).” Initially, a fire official reported at least one fatality, with more details expected to follow.
College staff initiated rescue operations before emergency crews arrived. Rescue teams from the army, fire service, and local residents rushed in, many carrying injured children to waiting vehicles or rickshaw vans due to the lack of ambulances. The plane had rammed into the front of the building, leaving a large hole and twisted metal debris.
Rafiqa Taha, a 16-year-old student not present at the time, told the Associated Press by phone, “I was terrified watching videos on TV. My God! It’s my school.” Milestone School and College serves approximately 2,000 students from elementary to twelfth grade. Eyewitness videos showed thick black smoke billowing from the building as panicked students, some bleeding and others with burns, fled the scene.
This incident marks the second crash of a Chinese-made F-7 fighter jet in the region this year. A similar aircraft operated by the Myanmar Air Force crashed in June, killing the pilot. A military spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sami Ud Dowla Chowdhury, disclosed that the jet suffered a mechanical failure soon after takeoff.
“The pilot made a valiant attempt to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas. Despite his best efforts, the aircraft crashed into a two-story building belonging to Milestone School and College,” Chowdhury added. The pilot was among those killed, and a military investigation committee has been formed to determine the cause of the mechanical failure.
Bidhan Sarker, head of the burn unit at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, reported that a third-grade student was brought in dead, and three others, aged 12, 14, and 40, were admitted to the hospital. Dr. Md Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant Professor for Health to the Chief Advisor, added that 48 of the injured remain in critical condition, with others receiving treatment at various facilities, including the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
One teacher, Masud Tarik, recounted, “When I was picking my kids and went to the gate, I realized something came from behind… I heard an explosion. When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke.” Another eyewitness, Rezaul Islam, a teacher at the college, told BBC Bangla he watched the jet “directly” hit the building. A student also reportedly witnessed the plane hit the building.
Muhammad Yunus, the leader of Bangladesh’s interim government, assured that necessary measures would be taken to investigate the cause of the tragic accident. “This is a moment of deep sorrow for the nation. I wish the injured a speedy recovery and instruct all authorities, including the hospitals concerned, to deal with the situation with utmost importance,” he said in a post on X.
Bangladesh has announced a day of mourning on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, when the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the country. As authorities begin investigating the cause of the crash, Bangladesh continues to mourn one of the most tragic peacetime aviation accidents in its capital’s history.