Training Jet of Bangladesh Air Force Crashes in Dhaka School

A Bangladesh Air Force F‑7 BGI training jet crashed into the Milestone School & College campus in Uttara, Dhaka, shortly after takeoff on July 21, 2025, around 1:06 pm local time. The devastating impact killed at least 19 individuals, including students, teachers, and the pilot, and injured over 50, many critically burned. The crash triggered a massive fire, structural collapse, and widespread panic among students. The government has launched an official investigation, activated emergency response systems, and declared a day of national mourning.

• Aircraft: Bangladesh Air Force F‑7 BGI training jet

• Location: Milestone School & College, Uttara, Dhaka

• Time: Around 1:06 pm local time on July 21, 2025 

• Casualties: At least 19 killed, including the pilot; over 50 injured (many burn victims)

• Damage: Massive fire, structural collapse, and smoke engulfing campus buildings

• Rescue response: Firefighters, army, ambulance, and volunteer units deployed 

• Hospitalization: Burn victims taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery and other hospitals 

• Eyewitness report: Teacher Masud Tarik heard an explosion, then saw fire and smoke engulf the school

• A massive explosion and fireball erupted, engulfing adjacent buildings and creating chaos 

• Firefighters and rescue teams responded immediately, battling intense flames and smoke; the army and volunteers helped evacuate victims 

• Video and eyewitness statements showed emotional distress—students crying, people fleeing, personnel carrying injured on chairs and makeshift stretchers

• A third-grade student was reported among the fatalities; injured included children aged 12 and 14 and a 40-year-old staff member 

• Burn victims were rushed to hospitals; over 50 were admitted with severe injuries.

• The government set up an emergency hotline and pledged full support for families, survivors, and an official inquiry

• Military PR Office: Confirmed aircraft type and crash time 

• Interim government head Muhammad Yunus:

  “Necessary measures … ensure all assistance … loss is irreparable.”

• School spokesperson: Reported crash hit near school gates during class time

• Burn unit head, Dhaka Medical College: Noted fatalities, including one third-grader, and treatment of three more (ages 12, 14, 40)

• Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation, including meteorological data, technical logs, and potential pilot error.

• The tragedy follows a recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad, prompting renewed regional concerns over military-training safety and emergency protocols 

• The Bangladesh Air Force Flight Safety Directorate is reviewing training procedures and maintenance standards.

• Dhaka's high-density urban environment significantly amplifies risks when aircraft operate above civilian zones.

• Public debate is emerging around policies for flight routes, minimum altitudes, and emergency-landing zones to keep civilian areas safe.

This tragic crash into a Dhaka school underscores the catastrophic potential when military training flights intersect with urban life. With 19 lives lost, many of them children, the consequences are immeasurable. As investigations unfold and relief mechanisms are put in place, national focus must turn to aviation safety reforms, urban planning restraint on flight paths, and ensuring such calamities never repeat.