Daijiworld Media Network- Dhaka
Dhaka, Jul 22: In a heart-wrenching tragedy that shook the capital city of Bangladesh, a fighter jet crashed into Milestone School in the densely populated Uttara area of Dhaka on Monday morning, leaving at least 19 people dead — including 16 school children, two teachers, and the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Toukir Islam.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and horror, with children running for their lives, many of them engulfed in flames. Over 100 others sustained injuries, with nearly 25 reported to be in critical condition. The injured are currently receiving treatment at seven different hospitals across the city.
Purnima Das, a teacher at the school who narrowly escaped death, shared a chilling account of the incident. “I had just finished a class and returned to the staff room when I heard a deafening sound. As I rushed out, the corridor was in flames. I saw little children running, screaming, their bodies on fire. I will never forget those faces,” she wrote in a social media post.
The fighter aircraft, identified as an F-7BGI — a Chinese-made advanced jet used by the Bangladesh Air Force — was reportedly on a routine training sortie. According to an official statement, the aircraft developed a technical malfunction and crashed while the pilot attempted to divert it away from a residential zone.
Das recounted how she had just crossed the very corridor that moments later became a scene of devastation. “A teacher collapsed in front of me, pleading for help as he burned. I froze. Someone pulled me away, and I was taken out.”
The emotional toll was equally severe on students. Farhan Hasan, a student who had just finished his exam, said, “The plane hit the school right in front of my eyes. My best friend, who was sitting next to me in the exam hall, died instantly.”
Masud Tarik, another teacher, told Reuters, “I was picking up my children and heading toward the gate when I heard a loud explosion. When I turned back, I only saw smoke and flames.”
Rezaul Islam, a faculty member, confirmed that the plane had "directly" hit the school building, which primarily housed primary and secondary students. Fortunately, a majority of the children had left for the day just before the crash, possibly preventing an even higher death toll.
Authorities have launched a high-level probe to investigate the crash. Meanwhile, the country mourns the loss of its innocent young lives, with grief-stricken families demanding answers and justice.
The tragedy has cast a dark shadow over Dhaka’s academic community, with several educational institutions across the region observing moments of silence in memory of the victims.