A Bangladesh Air Force F‑7 BGI training jet crashed into the Milestone School and College campus in Dhaka's Uttara district around 1:06 p.m. local time on July 21, 2025. The aircraft experienced a mechanical failure shortly after takeoff from Kurmitola air base, according to military spokesperson Lt Col Sami Ud Dowla Chowdhury.
Despite the pilot’s efforts to steer away from densely populated areas, the jet struck a two-storey school building. The impact ignited a major fire and created a gaping hole in the structure. At least 19 people—including the pilot and a third-grade student—were killed, with an additional 160–171 individuals, many of them students, suffering injuries ranging from burns to trauma. Witnesses described scenes of panic, thick smoke, and desperate rescue efforts as fires were extinguished and the wounded rushed to nearby hospitals.
As immediate rescue operations unfolded, the government declared July 22 a national day of mourning and assembled a formal investigation committee to probe the cause of the crash. Interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus pledged full support for the victims’ families and committed to comprehensive safety reviews following this tragic incident, the deadliest air crash in Dhaka in recent memory.
