At least one person was killed and several others, including students, were injured when a Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI training aircraft crashed into the compound of Milestone College in Uttara Sector 17 on Monday afternoon. The tragic incident, which occurred during school hours, sparked panic in the area and prompted an immediate emergency response from the military and fire services.
The aircraft took off at 1:06 PM and crashed around 1:30 PM, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The Fire Service confirmed receiving the first report of the crash at 1:18 PM.
“We received the report at 1:18 PM that a jet had crashed near Milestone College in Uttara. Three of our units are currently working at the scene, and two additional units are on the way,” said Lima Khanam, Duty Officer at the Fire Service control room. “We do not have any further details at the moment.”
The crash occurred during school hours, while a class of eighth-grade students was in session. According to witnesses, 25 to 30 students were inside the building when the aircraft hit. There are fears the pilot may not have ejected before impact, raising concerns about his condition.
The Bangladesh Army and fire service personnel responded promptly, evacuating students and guardians to safety. Rescue teams were seen carrying injured individuals to nearby vehicles for transport.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed the aircraft’s affiliation with the Bangladesh Air Force. The cause of the crash is under investigation, and authorities are working to determine the circumstances leading to the incident.
A nearby office employee, Saadman Rhuhsin, who works at Friendship & Cooperation Recruitment, said he witnessed the crash. “The jet crashed directly into the school building. Army and fire service personnel rushed to the scene immediately and began evacuating students and guardians,” he said.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as army personnel carried injured students to safety, placing them in rickshaw vans and other vehicles to rush them for treatment.
The Fire Service later confirmed that four of the injured were airlifted by a Bangladesh Air Force helicopter to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka for emergency medical care.
As of Monday evening, authorities had not disclosed the cause of the crash or the condition of the pilot. Investigations are underway, and updates are expected as rescue operations continue.
The tragic crash has sent shockwaves through the community, raising questions about safety protocols near civilian institutions.
This tragic event marks the second crash of a BAF training aircraft in Uttara in recent years. In June 2005, a BAF F-7 MB fighter jet crashed into a tin-roofed house in the Fayedabad area, injuring six people. The pilot ejected safely before the crash.
The Bangladesh Air Force has assured that a thorough investigation will be conducted, and appropriate measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.