Dhaka: A Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a school campus in the capital city Dhaka on Monday afternoon, killing at least 18 people and injuring over 150—most of them schoolchildren—in one of the country’s worst peacetime aviation tragedies in recent memory.
The crash occurred at Milestone College in the Uttara area around 1:06 PM local time, according to fire department official Lima Khanam. Eyewitness videos circulating online show plumes of thick smoke and flames engulfing the crash site shortly after the incident.
The aircraft, identified as a Chinese-made F-7 BGI fighter jet, went down during a training exercise.
Fire and rescue teams from the military and civil defense responded swiftly, but the dense student population at the time of the crash led to significant casualties.
Authorities confirmed that the F-7 BGI involved in the crash was acquired from China in 2022 at a cost of $5.85 million per unit. The aircraft, manufactured by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, is designed for multi-role missions but has a mixed safety record globally.
According to Shahjahan Shikder, spokesperson for Bangladesh Fire Services and Civil Defence, at least 18 bodies have been recovered so far. Meanwhile, Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant to interim ruler Muhammed Yunus, confirmed to BBC Bangla that around 150 people, including numerous students, were injured—70 of whom are being treated for severe burns at local hospitals.
The cause of the crash is yet to be officially determined, and an investigation has been launched. Grief and outrage have spread across the nation as families demand answers and accountability over the tragic loss of innocent lives.
