On Tuesday, a serious aircraft accident occurred in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. A Chinese-made Chengdu F-7 BGI fighter jet crashed into the densely populated Milestone school and medical college while carrying out a training mission, resulting in the deaths of 31 people, including at least 25 children under the age of 12, with over a hundred more injured. The accident has sparked strong shock in society and led to large-scale student protests, with the public demanding that the government take responsibility and improve the safety of air force training.
The F-7 BGI is the latest model of the J-7/F-7 series fighter planes produced by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, which is a derivative of the Soviet MiG-21 aircraft authorized for production by the Chinese side. Bangladesh signed a contract to purchase 16 of these aircraft in 2011, and they were delivered in 2013, primarily for air force training purposes. The aircraft involved in the accident was piloted by Mohammed Toukir Islam, who experienced mechanical failure shortly after takeoff. The pilot attempted to steer the aircraft away from residential areas but eventually crashed into the school campus.
The accident occurred during the time when students were leaving school, and the aircraft’s impact ignited a fire in the school building, trapping many students in the fire and collapsed structure. At present, 31 deaths have been confirmed, including at least 25 students, a teacher who died from injuries sustained during the rescue operation, and the pilot. The military has stated that 171 people were rescued from the accident site, mostly students from the school who suffered burns. Rescue workers are continuing to search for debris in the charred school building, as residents grieve and parents mourn inconsolably.
A father, Abul Hossain, tearfully told Reuters that his 9-year-old daughter, Nusrat Jahan Anika, perished in the accident. At the time, his wife and several teachers were injured, and Maherin Chowdhury, a teacher who saved over twenty students, succumbed to severe burns.
On Tuesday, Bangladeshi students protested at the accident site and various locations in the capital, demanding the release of detailed casualty lists, accountability, compensation for affected families, and the suspension of flight training. Milestone is a prominent private educational institution in Dhaka, Bangladesh, offering comprehensive education from primary school to high school pre-professional levels. The school is approximately 11 kilometers from the air force base and is located in a convenient transportation and densely populated area. This is the most serious air crash in the Bangladeshi capital in recent years.
The military has launched an investigation and pledged to revise training flight regulations to prevent similar tragedies. The government has declared a national day of mourning, lowered flags to half-mast, and held memorial services at various religious sites.
Since the student protests that have been ongoing for several months since 2024, Bangladesh’s political situation has been turbulent. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced into exile due to the protests, and the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus is currently in power, promising to hold elections next year, but political uncertainty persists.
The plane crash on Monday sparked unrest, causing traffic disruptions in parts of Dhaka. Some students stormed the administrative center and were dispersed by police using tear gas and stun grenades. Local television footage showed students and nearby school faculty protesting when government officials arrived, shouting, “Why have our brothers and sisters died? We want answers!”
The protesting students and the public are strongly calling for the replacement of outdated and high-risk fighter jet models and the improvement of air force training safety measures. In 2008, another F-7 training aircraft crashed near Dhaka due to technical issues.