[🇧🇩-Airforce] A trainer jet crashes, 19 people die.

[Saif]

Milestone tragedy: 13 fighting for life in ICUs

Thirteen people, mostly children, were fighting for their lives in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) of hospitals yesterday, three days after a jet crashed into Milestone School & College in Uttara’s Diabari.

www.thedailystar.net

Milestone tragedy: 13 fighting for life in ICUs
57 in hospitals; 13 discharged

The July 21, 2025, tragedy raises the question of why Dhaka’s children must learn beneath the shadow of aging war machines. PHOTO: PRABIR DAS

Thirteen people, mostly children, were fighting for their lives in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) of hospitals yesterday, three days after a jet crashed into Milestone School & College in Uttara's Diabari.

According to the health ministry, as of 7:15pm yesterday, 57 people remained admitted to five hospitals in the capital. Most of them are children.

Of the total, 45 were admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, with eight in critical condition receiving specialised care in the ICU.

The Combined Military Hospital (CMH) was treating nine patients, four of whom were in the ICU. Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital, Shaheed Monsur Ali Medical College Hospital, and Human Aid Research Lab & Hospital each had one patient admitted. The patient at Human Aid was also in the ICU.

The health ministry said 13 patients were discharged yesterday after their condition improved, while one new patient was admitted.

At the burn institute, in addition to those in the ICU, 13 patients were in "severe" condition, and the rest were reported to be in an "intermediate" condition, the ministry added.

Earlier, an interdisciplinary board at the burn institute categorised the patients as critical, severe and intermediate based on the extent of their burns. The meeting was attended by a senior consultant from Singapore General Hospital.

Briefing reporters, Prof Nasir Uddin, director of the institute, said Dr Chong Si Jack, a Singaporean burn specialist familiar with the institute, was assisting in assessing patients and adjusting treatment protocols.

Asked whether any recommendation had been made to send patients abroad, he said no such decision had been made yet.

A regular school day turned into a devastating tragedy on Monday when a Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI jet, suffering a mid-air mechanical failure, crashed into Milestone School & College. The plane struck the ground floor of a two-storey building on the campus. That section of the building housed classrooms for third and fourth grade students. The room hit by the aircraft was used for class three.

The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) did not release an updated death toll yesterday. On Tuesday, ISPR had put the toll at 31. With the death of another 9-year-old at the burn institute early yesterday, the number rose to 32.

However, the health ministry yesterday said 29 people had died in the tragedy so far. The ministry yesterday blamed the data mismatch on double count of victims.

Sources said six bodies remained unidentified. So far, only one couple has submitted DNA samples to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), according to an official at the Dhaka Civil Surgeon Office.

COMMITTEE FORMED

Milestone School & College authorities have formed a six-member committee to determine the exact number of casualties and compile a complete list of the dead, injured, and missing.

"Many students, teachers, staff, and guardians were affected by the incident. Many were injured, and some lost their lives. The committee has been formed to determine the actual number of the dead, injured, and the missing, and to prepare a list with their names and addresses," read a notice signed by Principal Mohammad Ziaul Alam.

The committee, led by the principal, has been asked to submit its report within three working days.

Other members include Vice Principal (administration) Md Masud Alam, Headteacher Khadija Azhar, Coordinator Lutfunnesa Lopa, guardian representative Moniruzzaman Molla, and two student representatives.

The formation of the committee came a day after students held a protest demanding that the authorities disclose the actual number of victims.​

 

[Saif]

NCP holds ‘mourning rally’ in Cumilla for Milestone crash victims

The mourning programme was observed to honour the victims of the tragedy

www.thedailystar.net

NCP holds ‘mourning rally’ in Cumilla for Milestone crash victims

Photo: Collected

The National Citizen Party (NCP) organised a "mourning rally" in Cumilla this afternoon in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the recent jet crash at Dhaka's Milestone School and College.

Party leaders said their previously planned "July March" was observed as a mourning programme to honour the victims of the tragedy.

As part of the party's month-long "July March to Build the Nation", the day's programme began in Chandpur in the morning and reached Cumilla city around noon.

During the visit, party representatives also met with families of the July martyrs.

At around 5:00pm, NCP activists brought out the mourning rally from Tomsom Bridge in Cumilla city. The event concluded with a rally at Town Hall field.

Photo: Collected

Students from various educational institutions across different upazilas and the Cumilla metropolitan area took part in the rally.

NCP Chief Coordinator (South) Hasnat Abdullah addressed the rally.

In his speech, Hasnat Abdullah said the previous fascist regime was corrupt in every sector.

He blamed them for purchasing outdated aircraft, which led to a crash and caused the deaths of many students from Milestone School.

He said, "Every single instance of corruption must be brought to justice."

He emphasised the need for national unity against the fascist force of the Awami League.

"You might think our struggle ends with the fall of fascism, but in reality, we must prepare for the final battle in the days ahead," he said.

"You may be supporters of BNP or Jamaat -- we have no objection. But we will never accept any alliance with the Awami League," he said.

Hasnat Abdullah accused the fascist AL of persecuting both BNP and Jamaat. He called for the formation of a national unity against this fascism.

"We must establish strong NCP bases in every upazila of Cumilla," he urged.

NCP Chief Coordinator (North) Sarjis Alam and Chief Coordinator Nasir Uddin Patwari, among others, were present at the rally.​

 

[Saif]

Uttara air crash exposes deadly gaps

It should serve as a wake-up call for aviation safety and emergency response

www.thedailystar.net

Uttara air crash exposes deadly gaps
It should serve as a wake-up call for aviation safety and emergency response

VISUAL: STAR

The death toll from Monday's tragic aircraft crash at Milestone School and College in Dhaka's Uttara has risen to 31 as of the latest count. At least 165 others also remain injured, as per the ISPR press release issued around 2:15 pm on Tuesday. As we have noted in our initial response, this is not the first tragedy involving air force training missions. While none has been as deadly, it is deeply alarming that few—if any—precautionary measures have been taken over the years to protect either military pilots or civilians from the risks posed by such exercises over a densely populated area like Dhaka.

In the aftermath of the crash, aviation experts as well as military and civilian pilots have rightly questioned the logic of allowing training flights over the capital. One expert pointed out that, given Dhaka's extreme population density, conducting such exercises here is far riskier than doing so in less populated regions where the air force also operates. Despite these dangers, air force aircraft continue to use the only runway at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Experts have long advocated for relocating the adjacent air force base, not only due to safety concerns but also because its operations often disrupt commercial aviation.

According to one air force pilot, flying in such a congested urban environment presents additional challenges. Flight paths should ideally be clear of buildings taller than one or two storeys, yet numerous high-rises now lie directly in their way. Unplanned urbanisation around the Dhaka airport—including the construction of schools, colleges, and shopping malls near approach paths—further complicates the situation. Pilots are forced to ascend rapidly and maintain higher altitudes, placing extra strain on their aircraft. Given the limitations of these machines, even a few seconds lost can prove critical.

Experts have questioned why such high-risk operations are still being carried out from Dhaka when alternative air force bases are available in Jashore and Chattogram. They have also criticised the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) for failing to safeguard civilian passengers, whose safety is compromised by the continued presence of military flights at the capital's airport.

Another disturbing issue is the chaos prevailing at hospitals where injured victims were taken. Political leaders, journalists, and others were seen crowding these facilities, despite the fact that burn patients are acutely vulnerable to complications such as infections. How were so many unauthorised individuals allowed near the victims? What does this reveal about our emergency response protocols and disaster preparedness? Do the authorities have a comprehensive plan in place for such crises—or are we merely reacting in the face of a disaster?

These are questions that demand clear answers and prompt responses from the authorities. Most importantly, it is critical that this does not become yet another tragedy from which we learn nothing and allow history to repeat itself.​

 

[Saif]

What led to the Milestone tragedy?

The public deserves transparency that the root causes of the crash are being addressed.

www.thedailystar.net

What led to the Milestone tragedy?

The July 21, 2025, tragedy raises the question of why Dhaka’s children must learn beneath the shadow of aging war machines. PHOTO: PRABIR DAS

The scent of burning jet fuel has a terrifying permanence. It sears itself into memory, a chemical ghost haunting the places where metal meets earth in catastrophic fury. On the July afternoon in 2025, as a Bangladesh Air Force FT-7 BGI fighter jet screamed out of control over Uttara, that acrid stench descended upon the Milestone College campus. It mingled with the chalk dust of interrupted lessons, the ink of unfinished exams, and the horrifying, metallic tang of blood. At least 31 lives (and still counting)—students, teachers, everyday citizens—were extinguished not by war, not by natural disaster, but by a cascade of seemingly mundane, utterly preventable decisions made years, even decades, before. The wreckage cooled, the funerals were held, a day of mourning declared. Yet, the fundamental questions that tragedy screamed into Dhaka's smog-choked sky remain, hanging heavy and unanswered: why must Dhaka's children learn beneath the shadow of aging war machines?

Let's be blunt. The image of a military training jet, older than most of Dhaka's wheezing carbon monoxide gushing public buses, plunging into a schoolyard is not just a tragedy; it's an indictment. That FT-7 BGI is a variant of Chinese-manufactured J-7 jets, which were developed using the Soviet-era MiG-21 design and first entered service globally in the late 1960s. Bangladesh acquired its F-7s, primarily from China, decades later, reportedly in 2013. Years of wear on these airframes stressed by the violent physics of supersonic flight isn't antiquarian charm; it's rolling the dice with lives—the pilots' and everyone beneath their flight path.

Which brings us to the first, glaring question: why is a densely packed metropolis, groaning under the weight of over 2.4 crore souls, the designated playground for training military pilots? Kurmitola Air Base, nestled beside Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, is literally surrounded by residential areas, schools, and markets. Uttara isn't some distant outpost; it's a pulsing heart of the city. Every takeoff and landing, every simulated engine failure practised over these rooftops, is an exercise conducted over a human powder keg. The calculus is horrifyingly simple: mechanical failure plus urban density equals to potential catastrophe. The afternoon of July 21, 2025, proved it wasn't just theoretical. It was a formula written in fire and grief. The pilot ejected—a testament to the training and reflexes—but the aircraft, a multi-ton meteor of failing technology, was left to find its own deadly trajectory, which it did, with devastating precision, onto a place of learning.

This isn't merely about one aging jet. It's about a system. It's about why the state persists in using a civilian international airport complex, embedded deep within the urban sprawl, as a primary hub for military flight operations and training. The risks are not unknown. Experts and urban planners have repeatedly flagged the dangers of operating high-performance military aircraft over such environments. The argument often cites convenience, infrastructure, and cost. But what cost? The cost of dozens of lives? The cost of living under a constant, low-frequency dread? The cost of knowing that the roar overhead might not always be routine? Convenience becomes a grotesque euphemism when weighed against the incalculable value of human life extinguished in an instant.

And then there's Tejgaon. Sitting closer to the city's core, Tejgaon Airport is another anachronism etched into Dhaka's frantic landscape. Originally a major airport, its role has significantly diminished since Shahjalal International took over commercial traffic. Yet, it persists. Helicopters, smaller fixed-wing aircraft, and VIP movements still utilise its runways. Its existence, a vast, underused 300-acre tract of incredibly valuable land locked behind fences in the heart of a suffocating city, defies logic. Why does this operational airport, a relic of a different era, still dominate prime real estate when Dhaka gasps for green lungs and public space? The roar of engines here isn't training jets, but it is a constant reminder of priorities seemingly frozen in amber. The persistent rumours, occasionally acknowledged in official corridors, about its potential relocation or repurposing have yielded little but dust.

The questions compound, each demanding an answer louder than the last:

Why is the modernisation of the Bangladesh Air Force's (BAF) training fleet, particularly the phasing out of geriatric F-7s, not treated with the urgency a ticking time bomb demands? While some newer platforms exist, the continued reliance on aircraft designed in the mid-20th century for missions over a 21st-century megacity is unconscionable. Every extra flight hour squeezed from these machines is a gamble. The pilots strap themselves into coffins with wings, trusting systems decades past their intended lifespan, while the city below remains an unwitting participant in this deadly game of chance.

Why are dedicated training facilities, purpose-built away from population centres, not the absolute, non-negotiable priority? Bangladesh isn't devoid of space. Establishing modern airbases in less densely populated regions for initial flight training and high-risk manoeuvres, simulated engine failures, isn't a luxury; it's fundamental aviation safety and responsible urban planning rolled into one. It protects the trainees, it protects the public, and it allows for more realistic training without the sword of Damocles hanging over a schoolyard.

Where is the comprehensive, independent investigation into the systemic failures that led to the Uttara disaster, with findings made public and acted upon? While the BAF conducted its inquiry, with lightning-fast accuracy, citing "engine failure," the broader context—the age of the fleet, the location of the base—demands scrutiny that goes beyond the immediate mechanical cause. The public deserves transparency and assurance that the root causes are being addressed, not just the symptoms of one catastrophic failure.

The victims of Uttara weren't statistics. They were our children. They were my children. They were students with textbooks open, teachers guiding futures, people going about their lives. Their deaths are a permanent stain. But their legacy must be changed. We cannot accept the shrug of bureaucratic inertia or the whispered excuses of budget constraints. The cost of inaction is measured in blood, in terror, in burned flesh, and in the erosion of the most basic social contract: the state's duty to protect its citizens from foreseeable harm.

Dhaka is bursting. Its air is thick, its streets choked, its people pressed together. To layer the inherent risks of military aviation, conducted with outdated equipment, onto this pressure cooker is not just poor planning; it is a form of societal negligence. The roar of an ancient jet engine over a school isn't the sound of national security; it is the sound of rusted policy paralysis.

The arithmetic of loss from Uttara is clear. The question now is whether we, as a society, and those entrusted with power, dare to finally learn the brutal lesson. It's time to ground the flying relics before they claim more futures. It's time to reclaim Tejgaon for the people gasping for space and air. It's time to move training far from the nurseries and the markets. The next roaring shadow over Dhaka's rooftops should not be a prelude to another unspeakable headline. It should be the sound of progress, finally taking flight. Let the memorial for those dozens of souls be a city that chooses life, safety, and breathable space over deadly inertia. We owe them, and ourselves, nothing less. We plant saplings in memory; let's uproot the policies that made their deaths possible.

Zakir Kibria is a Bangladeshi writer, policy analyst and entrepreneur based in Kathmandu.​

 

[Saif]

Milestone School authorities ‘thank’ those who extended ‘support’ after jet crash

Milestone School and College has extended “heartfelt gratitude” to everyone who offered “assistance” in the aftermath of the Bangladesh Air Force jet crash on its campus in Dhaka’s Diabari. In a written statement issued on Thursday, the institution said: “We sin

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Milestone School authorities ‘thank’ those who extended ‘support’ after jet crash

bdnews24.com
Published :
Jul 24, 2025 19:40
Updated :
Jul 24, 2025 19:40

Milestone School and College has extended “heartfelt gratitude” to everyone who offered “assistance” in the aftermath of the Bangladesh Air Force jet crash on its campus in Dhaka’s Diabari.

In a written statement issued on Thursday, the institution said: “We sincerely thank all individuals, organisations, and institutions who have extended their support in rescue, communication, service, and treatment efforts from the very beginning of this disaster.

“We also extend heartfelt thanks to all media outlets and journalists who have presented this incident from a humane perspective,” it added.

The fighter jet crashed onto the school premises on Monday afternoon, killing 31 people, 30 of whom were students, teachers or guardians.

Milestone authorities delivered their formal response to the tragedy on Thursday.

According to the school, 51 people were seriously injured in the crash, including 40 students, seven teachers, one parent, one female attendant and one peon.

Authorities said they formed an internal investigation committee on Jul 22.

“In line with this, we are only providing data related to casualties among our institution's students, staff and guardians. The process of updating information is ongoing,” the statement read.

They also clarified that their report covers only those directly connected to the institution, while overall casualty figures are being compiled by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The statement said the aircraft crashed between 1:12pm and 1:14pm.

“As school ended at 1pm, only a limited number of students were waiting for their guardians when this heartbreaking accident took place.”

The institution expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families and assured full support for the treatment and needs of the injured.​

 

[Lulldapull]

Anybody flying a fukking mig-21 today needs to be beaten to death.

I know........I know nobody cares about dalit deaths, but this just criminal dalit Pakistani type action where an F-7 or Mirage or Jeff TThundurr junk fighter crashes or old expired F-16. Meray Arabian Allah (moon god) ko pyara ho gya......

Very sad, how fukking isstoopid hendu-pak basturds are.

Same same in third whulld India where their dalit pilots fly junk and then die regularly in crashes.

Oh bhai you don't need jets anymore you fukking stupidd dalits.......

Go set up a drone and missile industry you stupidd cvnts!

 

[Saif]

Tarique Rahman donates medical supplies for jet crash victims

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has donated medical supplies for the victims of the jet crash on Milestone School and College in the capital’s Uttara. On behalf of Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatradal (JCD) today handed over the

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Tarique Rahman donates medical supplies for jet crash victims

BSS
Published :
Jul 24, 2025 19:53
Updated :
Jul 24, 2025 19:53

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has donated medical supplies for the victims of the jet crash on Milestone School and College in the capital’s Uttara.

On behalf of Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatradal (JCD) today handed over the essential medical supplies to Dr. Shawon Bin Rahman, Resident Surgeon of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS), said a press release.

JCD General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir said, “Immediately after the accident, Chatradal dispatched three ambulances directly to Milestone School and College to assist in the rescue operation and ensure treatment of the injured.”

He added, “Through the help desk, Chatradal has been carrying out extraordinary work. As a student organization, we’ve come forward to offer whatever support we can within our capacity.”

Nasir Uddin Nasir also said, “Under the directive of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, Chatradal has stood beside the victims of the Milestone tragedy.”​

 

[Saif]

BAF JET CRASH: Bodies of five victims identified by DNA tests

The forensic DNA laboratory of the Criminal Investigation Department on Thursday disclosed identities of five charred bodies found in a building of Milestone School and College in the capital’s Uttara after a Bangladesh Air Force jet crashed into it on July 21.

www.newagebd.net

BAF JET CRASH: Bodies of five victims identified by DNA tests
Staff Correspondent 24 July, 2025, 17:33

Relatives, including the mother of a missing Class-III student, arrive in distress at Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Uttara on Thursday, days after a fighter jet crash. | New Age photo

The forensic DNA laboratory of the Criminal Investigation Department on Thursday disclosed identities of five charred bodies found in a building of Milestone School and College in the capital’s Uttara after a Bangladesh Air Force jet crashed into it on July 21.

With two new deaths, the government on the day revised the death toll at 31 in the BAF jet crash from the earlier figure shared by the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate.

Till Thursday night, a total of 51 people were admitted to hospitals with 14 critically injured kept in intensive care units of two hospitals.

The number of missing people in the incident was five till Thursday, including three students and two guardians, according to the Milestone School and College authorities.

On Thursday, the advisory council of the interim government at a meeting decided that the government would give all necessary supports to the families of the victims — killed and injured — in the crash incident.

Decision was also made to extend state honours to two deceased teachers of the educational institution – Maherin Chowdhury and Masuka Begum – in the incident.

Maherin and Masuka saved lives of a number of students during the jet crash, but lost their lives in the process, according to media reports.

A probe committee, formed by the Milestone School and College authorities, is scheduled to submit the report on the incident today.

Following the crash, seven charred bodies remained unidentified at the Combined Military Hospital.

Members of the CID’s DNA lab collected a total of 11 DNA samples from the unidentified bodies and body parts on July 22, said a press release issued by the CID.

Identities of five bodies have been confirmed by analysing the profiles of a total of 11 members of five families.

From six samples, the identity of Lamia Akhter Sonia, daughter of Md Babul and Mazeda, was confirmed.

The identity of Afsana Akhter Priya, daughter of Md Abbas Uddin and Minu Akhter, was confirmed from two samples.

The identities of Wakia Ferdous Nidhi, daughter of Md Faruq Hossain and Salma Akhter, Raisa Moni, daughter of Shahabul Sheikh and Mim, and Mariam Umme Afiya, daughter of Abdul Qadir and Umme Tamima, were confirmed from one sample each.

On Thursday, Mahiya, 15, another student, died at about 4:30pm in the ICU of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery with 50 per cent burn injuries, said the institute’s residential physician Shawon Bin Rahman.

Before her, according to a health and family welfare ministry press release, Mahtab, 15, who sustained 85 per cent burn injuries, passed away in the ICU of the NIBPS at about 1:52pm on the same day.

Till now among the deceased, 27 were children, including many under 12 years of age, two were schoolteachers, and one was the aircraft’s pilot.

On the day, the Directorate General of Health Services under the health and family welfare ministry published updates about the deceased and injured patients till 9:00pm.

According to the updates, 31 people were killed in the BAF jet crash incident and 51 others were undergoing treatment till Thursday night.

Of them, 13 victims died and 42 were undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, 15 died and eight undergoing treatment at Combined Military Hospital, one each died at Dhaka Medical College, Lubana General Hospital and Cardiac Center and United Hospital Limited and one was undergoing treatment at Shaheed Monsur Ali Medical College Hospital.

As per the directorate, six patients were in the ICU at the Combined Military Hospital.

National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery director professor Mohammad Nasir Uddin at a press briefing on Thursday night said that among the admitted patients at the institute, eight victims were in the ICU with six in critical condition.

Replying to a query, he said that he heard that a five-member specialist team from China was scheduled to reach Bangladesh on Thursday to assist in the victims’ treatment.

Till 5:00pm on Thursday, a total of 23 bodies were handed over to families.

Meanwhile on July 21, the ISPR in a press release said that 20 people were killed and 171 others were injured in the accident.

The following day, the ISPR gave updates that 31 were killed and 165 others were injured till July 22. After that the ISPR did not give any update on the statistics.

On Thursday, a senior official of the ISPR, said that the health ministry would provide the details of the death, injured and unidentified bodies to the media from now on.

The Milestone School and College authorities on Thursday issued a statement saying that so far 20 students, two teachers and two guardians had been killed in the incident and five, including three students and two guardians, remained missing.

In the incident, 48 people including 38 students, seven teachers, two staff and one guardian were injured, said the educational institution’s authorities.

The educational institution’s public relations officer Shah Bulbul confirmed that the probe committee which formed on July 22 would submit report today.

At the advisory council meeting on Thursday, decision was also made to hold special prayers at all religious institutions today for the jet crash victims.

The religious affairs ministry on Thursday night issued an order requesting all religious institutions across the country to hold special prayers for the crash incident victims today.

A coordination cell was formed by the BAF on Thursday at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (Room: 811, 01769993558) and Combined Military Hospital (01815912617) to provide different supports, including treatment to the injured people.​