MILESTONE SCHOOL TRAGEDY

A Bangladeshi fighter jet crashed into Milestone School and College in the capital Dhaka on Monday, killing at least 20 people, including the pilot, and injuring over 170 others. The tragic incident, described as the country’s deadliest aviation accident in decades, occurred when the F-7 BJI/BGI aircraft slammed into the educational institution while many young students were leaving class.

Witnesses reported a massive blast that felt like an earthquake as the jet crashed into the junior playground area of the school. “It created a boom, and it felt like a quake. Then it caught fire,” said Shafiur Rahman Shafi, an 18-year-old student.

The military confirmed that the F-7 BJI/BGI aircraft, part of a routine training mission, “reportedly encountered a mechanical failure.” The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam, who was on his first solo flight, valiantly attempted to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas. Despite his efforts, the jet crashed into a two-story school building. The exact cause of the mechanical failure remains under investigation, with a committee formed to ascertain the details.

Most of the injured, many suffering from burns, were aged between eight and 14, according to Mohammad Maruf Islam, joint director of Dhaka’s National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute. Hospitals were quickly overwhelmed, with grieving relatives thronging the facilities and dozens of volunteers lining up to donate blood. Tofazzal Hossain, 30, tearfully recounted finding his eighth-grade cousin among the deceased. At least seven bodies remain unidentified.

Emergency services, including firefighters, army personnel, and rescue officials, rushed to the scene to clear the mangled wreckage and transport the injured. Videos from the aftermath showed thick plumes of smoke billowing from the site and panicked crowds witnessing the devastation. A teacher, Masud Tarik, described hearing an explosion and seeing only fire and smoke when he looked back after picking up his children at the gate.

Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, expressed “deep grief and sorrow” over the incident and announced a day of national mourning for Tuesday. Yunus conveyed that “The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable. This is a moment of profound pain for the nation.”

International condolences also poured in, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating he was “deeply shocked and saddened at the loss of lives” and affirming India’s solidarity and readiness to extend assistance to Bangladesh.

The F-7 BGI is an advanced variant of the Chengdu J-7 aircraft family, with Bangladesh having acquired 16 of these jets between 2011 and 2013. The crash marks Bangladesh’s deadliest aviation accident in decades, with the worst prior disaster occurring in 1984 when a plane crash killed all 49 people on board.