Tragedy in Dhaka: Fighter Jet Crash Claims 19 Lives at Milestone School
A Bangladesh Air Force jet crashed into Milestone School, killing 19 people, including 16 children. Over 100 were injured. The nation mourns as emergency services battle trauma and destruction.
New Delhi: In a heart-wrenching catastrophe, nineteen individuals , incluing a Class VI student, perished after Bangladesh Air Force fighter aircraft plummeted into the campus of Miledtone School and College in Dhaka’s Uttara district on Monday afternoon. Among the deceased were sixteen students, two educators, and the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Mohammed Toukir Isla.
Authorities report over 100 injured, many with critical burn wounds, who were transported to neraby infirmaries. Several victims remain in intensive care, with at least eight in precarious condition. Medical personnel at the National Institute of Burn and plastic Surgery described the situation as “fluid,” with the number of casualties escalating as rescue operations continue.
Bangladesh’s interim head of state, Mohammed Yunus, conveyed “deep grief and sorrow” via a heartfelt message on X. “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,” he lamented.
নিখোঁজ স্কুল শিক্ষার্থীদের বিষয়ে জরুরি যোগাযোগের নাম্বার সমূহ-
— Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh (@ChiefAdviserGoB) July 21, 2025
১। মিলিটারি রেস্কিউ ব্রিগেড 01769024202
সিএমএইচ বার্ন ইউনিট 01769016019
সিএমএইচ ইমার্জেন্সি 01769013311
২। মাইলস্টোন স্কুল Admin Officer 01814774132
Vice Principal 01771111766
৩। ন্যাশনাল ইমার্জেন্সি নাম্বার…
The translated post also shared vital emergency helpline numbers for those seeking information about missing students:
- Military Rescue Brigade: 0176 9024202
- CMH Burn Unit: 0176 9016019
- CMH Emergency: 0176 9013311
- Milestone School Admin Officer: 0181 4774132
- Vice Principal: 0177 1111766
- National Helpline (999): Connects to Bangladesh Police Emergency Burn Cell
The ill-fated jet, identified as an F-7BGI, a refined variant of the chinese J-7, head departed at 1:06 pm on a routine training sortie. Moments later, it crashed directly into a classroom block while students were engrossed in examinations and lectures. Fire service officials stated that the impact was immediately and devastating.
Rafiqa Taha, a student who was not present during the calamity, expressed her anguish over the phone: “I was terrified watching videos on TV… My God! It’s my school.” Milestone School, home to nearly 2,000 students spanning grades from elementary to Class XII, has been reduced to charred ruins in sections.
Television visuals and online clips portrayed scenes of infernos engulfing the institution. In one harrowing video from PTI, a charred jet engine was spotted embedded within the classroom rubble. Another clip showed citizens rushing toward the blazing debris as fire licked through the one-story building. The most gut-wrenching footage depicted a man, draped in soot and tattered clothing while being supported by a bystander.
This grievous incident has plunged the nation into collective mourning and raised urgent questions about flight safety protocols near urban educational zones. The aftermath has left families shattered, hearts bruised, and a nation struggling to comprehend the magnitude of this aerial catastrophe.
