Tragedy in Dhaka: Bangladesh Air Force Training Jet Crashes into School, Killing 19 and Injuring Over 100

Dhaka, July 21, 2025 — A routine training mission turned into a national tragedy today when a Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI jet crashed into a school building in Dhaka’s Uttara area, killing 19 people including the pilot and injuring more than 100 others.

According to a statement from the military, the aircraft took off from the Kurmitola Air Force Base in Dhaka but encountered a mechanical failure shortly after takeoff. In a desperate attempt to prevent further catastrophe, the pilot tried to steer the aircraft away from the densely populated capital. However, the jet slammed into a two-storey building belonging to Milestone School and College.

“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-storey building belonging to Milestone School and College,” said military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Sami Ud Dowla Chowdhury.

Eyewitnesses described a horrifying scene of fire, panic, and chaos.

“When I was picking up my kids and went to the gate, I realised something came from behind ... I heard an explosion. When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke,” said Masud Tarik, a teacher at the school.

Video footage from the crash site showed a massive fireball and thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, with firefighters battling flames and rescuers pulling injured students and staff from the rubble.

One of the worst-hit areas was a section of the school where classes were in session. According to Dhaka Medical College Hospital officials, a third-grade student was brought in dead, while at least three others—aged 12, 14, and 40—were admitted with serious burn injuries.

Images from the site showed twisted metal, broken furniture, and blood-stained staircases, as distraught parents and onlookers screamed and wept outside the campus gates.

The Bangladesh Air Force confirmed that the pilot was among the dead. A high-level committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the mechanical failure.

The F-7 BGI jet, the final and most advanced variant of China’s Chengdu J-7 series, was part of a fleet of 16 aircraft acquired by Bangladesh in 2011, with deliveries completed in 2013, according to Jane’s Information Group.

This incident raises new concerns about the safety of military aircraft flying over civilian zones and the maintenance standards of aging fighter jets.

As the country reels from the shock, messages of condolence have poured in from across the political and social spectrum, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing “deep sorrow and solidarity” with the victims’ families.

Authorities have begun identifying the deceased and injured as the school and surrounding community mourn an unprecedented tragedy. Classes at Milestone School and College have been suspended indefinitely.

More updates will follow as the investigation continues.