Kathmandu: Bangladesh is mourning the loss of at least 31 lives after a Bangladesh Air Force F-7 training jet crashed into the Milestone School and College in Dhaka on July 21, 2025, BBC reports. The incident, which occurred shortly after 1:00 PM local time, has become the deadliest aviation disaster in the country in decades.
Many of the victims were schoolchildren who had just finished their classes, with the Health Ministry confirming that at least 17 children are among the deceased. The jet reportedly suffered a mechanical fault after takeoff, and the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Md Taukir Islam, who was also killed in the crash, tried to steer the aircraft away from a crowded area.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror as the aircraft hit the school building directly. More than 50 people sustained severe burn injuries and are being treated at various hospitals, including the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, and an emergency hotline has been set up for families of the victims. Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has pledged full support for the victims’ families and emphasized the need for a thorough probe.
Condolences have poured in from regional leaders, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
–BBC