By Dayo Ade Olusola |World News| July 21, 2025
At least 18 people have died and over 160 others were injured after a Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet crashed into a school campus in Dhaka on Monday, military officials have confirmed.
The incident occurred at Milestone School and College in Uttara, a northern suburb of the capital, just after 1:00 pm local time, when students were attending regular classes and exams.
The aircraft, identified as an F-7 BGI fighter jet, had taken off at 1:06 pm before crashing moments later into the rooftop of the college canteen, according to the Bangladesh military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) department. The pilot is among the confirmed fatalities.
Emergency services rushed to the scene as flames and thick plumes of smoke rose from the campus, prompting panic among residents and students.
Eyewitness video circulating online shows onlookers gathering around the burning wreckage as firefighters battled the blaze.
Officials said 164 people sustained injuries, many of them students suffering from burns and impact trauma. Local media outlet Prothom Alo cited fire control room authorities who confirmed the jet struck the building’s canteen, exacerbating the fire and casualties.
The cause of the crash remains unclear. Authorities say an investigation has been launched to determine what led to the fatal incident.
One student, 16-year-old Rafiqa Taha, told the Associated Press she was not on campus at the time but was left shaken after watching footage of the aftermath. “I was terrified watching videos on TV. My God! It’s my school,” she said.
The school reportedly has an enrollment of about 2,000 students.
Bangladesh’s Air Force has not had a major crash involving school infrastructure in recent years, though Monday’s tragedy is expected to reignite concerns over flight paths near densely populated urban areas.
Further updates are expected as the military and emergency services complete search and recovery operations.
