On the morning of July 21, 2025, a devastating air crash shook the heart of Dhaka, Bangladesh, as a Bangladesh Air Force Chengdu F-7 BGI fighter jet—designed in China—crashed into a busy educational campus. The tragic incident occurred at Milestone College, located in Uttara, a densely populated area in the capital city.
 |
Bangladesh Jet Crash at Dhaka School Kills 19 – Full Details & Investigatio
The crash resulted in 19 confirmed deaths, including the pilot, and over 164 injuries, many of them students attending morning classes. As the country grapples with this shocking event, investigations are underway to determine what went wrong with the jet, which had only just taken off moments earlier
Time and Location of the Incident
The incident took place around 10:45 AM local time on Monday, July 21, 2025.
The crash site was Milestone College, situated in the Uttara Model Town area of northern Dhaka—a hub of educational institutions and residential apartments.
Eyewitnesses report that the fighter aircraft began to emit black smoke shortly after takeoff and lost altitude rapidly before diving into the college’s academic building, creating a massive fireball and explosion that rocked the neighborhood.
What Happened: Crash Details
The F-7 BGI jet, a Chinese-built advanced trainer variant of the classic J-7 fighter jet, took off from Bangabandhu Air Base in Dhaka for a routine training flight. Approximately six minutes into the flight, radio communications indicated that the pilot had encountered a critical engine failure.
According to initial defense reports, the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Mahmud Reza, made a last-ditch attempt to guide the aircraft away from civilian homes and toward an open area, but the jet lost control completely.
It plunged into the southern wing of the Milestone College campus, where multiple classrooms were occupied by over 200 students
Casualties and Damage
The crash had devastating human consequences. Here’s a breakdown:
Fatalities
- 19 confirmed deaths
- 1 pilot (Flight Lt. Mahmud Reza)
- 18 civilians, mostly students and staff of Milestone College
Injuries
- 164–171 people injured
- Over 60 students sustained critical burn injuries
- 3 faculty members hospitalized
- Nearby residents also suffered injuries due to blast shockwaves and debris
Infrastructure Damage
- Entire southern academic block destroyed
- Adjacent school buildings sustained cracks and fire damage
- Multiple vehicles in the parking area were burned or damaged
Emergency services took under 10 minutes to arrive, but the fire had already engulfed a large section of the building. Fire brigades, ambulances, and military recovery teams coordinated rescue operations for the next 5 hours.
Eyewitness Accounts
Several eyewitnesses described terrifying scenes.
“There was a huge noise, and then everything went dark. Flames burst out from the classrooms. I saw kids jumping out of windows,” said Rahima Begum, a school janitor who escaped the building moments before it collapsed.
Students described hearing the jet overhead moments before the blast.
“We thought it was thunder, then we saw black smoke and people running everywhere. Some of my friends are still missing,” said Tahmid Ali, a 12th-grade student.
About the Aircraft – Chengdu F-7 BGI
The F-7 BGI is a Chinese-built 3rd-generation fighter aircraft, upgraded for training and light combat purposes. It is a derivative of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, modified and manufactured by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.
Bangladesh Air Force acquired 16 of these jets in 2013 as part of a modernization program. While effective in training roles, these jets are also known to be aging and increasingly difficult to maintain.
This crash has raised serious concerns about the safety of legacy aircraft in densely populated training zones.
Investigation and Response
The Bangladesh Ministry of Defense has launched a high-level investigation, led by Air Vice Marshal Riazuddin Khan, to determine:
- The technical cause of the engine failure
- Whether standard flight safety protocols were followed
- The reason for delayed ejection or failure of the aircraft’s emergency escape system
Key Focus Points for the Inquiry:
- Engine diagnostics from the wreckage
- Black box data retrieval (F-7 aircraft are equipped with simplified data recorders)
- Review of the pilot’s final radio communication
- Maintenance records of the aircraft
Public and Government Reactions
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, expressed deep sorrow and ordered flags to fly at half-mast nationwide on July 22. She also announced:
- Compensation of BDT 10 lakh (₹7.5 lakh approx.) to families of the deceased
- Free medical treatment for the injured
- Formation of a task force to review all air force training protocols
China, as the manufacturer of the aircraft, offered technical assistance and condolences, with engineers from AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) expected to join the probe.
Safety Debate Rekindled
This tragedy has triggered a renewed debate on:
- The suitability of conducting military flight operations over urban zones
- The continued use of aging fighter jets like the F-7
- The lack of emergency landing infrastructure in cities like Dhaka
Aviation experts are calling for:
- Modernization of the fleet with next-gen trainers
- Decentralizing airbases away from dense civilian zones
- Adding emergency ejection training upgrades