At least 27 people, including 25 children, were killed on Monday after a Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet crashed into a school and college campus in the capital, Dhaka. The F-7 BGI aircraft, on a routine training mission, went down shortly after takeoff from the Kurmitola airbase, authorities confirmed.
The crash occurred at around 1:06 p.m. local time, when the jet, experiencing a reported mechanical failure, lost control and slammed into the densely populated educational complex. The crash ignited multiple buildings, trapping dozens inside.
Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser on health, confirmed that 27 bodies had been recovered, and 88 others—many with severe burn injuries—were being treated at local hospitals. The dead include 25 students, a teacher, and the aircraft’s pilot.
Horrific scenes unfolded as rescue workers combed through the charred wreckage while grieving parents and residents gathered, desperate for news of their loved ones. Videos and images from the scene showed plumes of smoke, collapsed structures, and the shell of the jet embedded in a blackened building.
In response, the government has declared a national day of mourning. Flags will fly at half-mast and special prayers are being held in mosques, temples, churches, and other places of worship across the country.
“This is a national tragedy of immense magnitude,” said a government spokesperson. “We mourn with the families and will provide full support to the victims and their loved ones.”
The aircraft involved in the crash was a Chinese-made F-7 BGI, the most advanced model of the Chengdu J-7/F-7 family. Bangladesh had procured 16 of these jets under a 2011 agreement with China, with deliveries completed by 2013.
This disaster follows closely on the heels of another major aviation tragedy in South Asia, after an Air India plane crashed into a medical college in Ahmedabad last month, killing 260 people including passengers and ground victims. That incident remains the worst global aviation disaster in over a decade.
The Bangladeshi military has launched an investigation into the cause of Monday’s crash, with early reports pointing to mechanical failure. Authorities are also expected to review safety protocols surrounding military flights over civilian areas.
Families of the victims and the broader community are left grappling with shock and sorrow as the nation comes to terms with one of its deadliest peacetime aviation disasters in recent history.
Written By Rodney Mbua
