Nineteen people – including a Class VI student – died after a Bangladesh fighter jet crashed into the campus of the Milestone School and College in capital Dhaka’s Uttara neighbourhood Monday.
The pilot – identified as Flight Lieutenant Mohammed Toukir Islam – 16 children, and two teachers were killed in the crash that took place early afternoon. Over 100 people, many of whom are students, were injured, some with severe burns, and have been rushed to nearby medical facilities.
At least eight of the injured are in critical condition, doctors said, while a medical professional at the city’s National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery said the number of injured is increasing.
The country’s interim leader, Mohammed Yunus expressed “deep grief and sorrow” over the incident in a post 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 said.
“This is a moment of profound pain for the nation.”
Mr Yunus’ office also released a list of emergency phone numbers and helplines.
নিখোঁজ স্কুল শিক্ষার্থীদের বিষয়ে জরুরি যোগাযোগের নাম্বার সমূহ-
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…— Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh (@ChiefAdviserGoB) July 21, 2025
Translated from Bengali, the post reads:
“Emergency contact numbers for missing school 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
999 (Bangladesh’s national phone helpline) will connect you to the burn units of Bangladesh Police’s Emergency Cell.”
Bangladesh Fighter Jet Crash
The plane that crashed was an F-7BGI, an advanced version of the Chinese J-7 fighter. It took off at 1.06 pm on a training flight but crashed shortly afterwards, a fire service official told The Associated Press into a building where students were taking tests or attending regular classes.
Rafiqa Taha, a student who was not present when the plane crash, told AP by phone the institution has around 2,000 students, and runs classes from elementary to Class XII.
“I was terrified watching videos on TV,” the 16-year-old said, “My God! It’s my school.”
VIDEO | Raging Flames, Panicked Students – Aftermath Of Dhaka Jet Crash
TV footage from the crash site and videos shared online showed fire and smoke billowing while emergency personnel try to put out the blaze. One haunting clip, shared by news agency PTI, showed the wrecked jet engine buried under the rubble of what was once a classroom.
Another video, shot from a distance, showed a swarm of people rushing to the burning wreckage and a massive fire burning through the one-storey school building.
And a third video, perhaps the most distressing of the lot, showed an injured man – covered in soot and debris, with his clothes torn and hanging by threads – led away by a bystander.
With input from agencies
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