A Bangladesh Air Force F‑7 BGI training jet slammed into Milestone School and College in the capital’s Uttara district on Monday afternoon, killing 31 people in the city’s deadliest air disaster in decades.
At least 25 of the dead were children under 12. Among the victims were Flight Lt. Mohammed Toukir Islam — making his first solo mission — and teacher Maherin Chowdhury, who reportedly shepherded more than 20 pupils to safety before succumbing to her burns.
Rescue teams pulled some 170 survivors from the burning two‑storey building; about 70 remain hospitalised, many with critical burn injuries, according to the health ministry.
Military officials say the Chinese‑built fighter suffered a mechanical failure moments after take‑off from nearby Kurmitola Air Base. Islam radioed that he was trying to steer toward open ground but failed to gain altitude before the jet tore through the campus gate and exploded.
Interim leader Muhammad Yunus declared a national day of mourning, ordered flags to half‑mast and promised “a transparent, independent” inquiry.
Grief quickly turned to anger. Hundreds of students marched on the crash site and later broke into the government secretariat, demanding compensation for families and a ban on training flights over populated areas. Police dispersed the crowd with batons and tear gas.
The military has grounded its remaining F‑7 BGIs — the last, upgraded variant of China’s J‑7, 16 of which were delivered to Bangladesh in 2013 — pending the outcome of an investigation headed by the Air Force’s Flight Safety Directorate.