19 Killed as Fighter Jet Crashes Into Bangladeshi School

A Bangladeshi Air Force training jet crashed into a school in Dhaka on July 21, 2025, killing 19 people—including the pilot—and injuring dozens, in the country’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades.

A Bangladeshi Air Force training jet crashed into Milestone School and College in Dhaka on Monday, killing at least 19 people—including the pilot—and injuring dozens more. Authorities say it is the country’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades.

The Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft went down at around 1:00 p.m. local time, just as students were being dismissed. Witnesses described a deafening explosion that shook the ground.

“There were two jets flying overhead,” said 18-year-old student Shafiur Rahman. “Suddenly, one crashed into the junior playground. It felt like an earthquake.”

Emergency services responded swiftly, with rescue teams evacuating injured students and clearing debris. According to Dr. Mohammad Nasir Uddin, director of the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute in Dhaka, at least 51 people—mostly students—are receiving treatment for critical injuries.

Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus declared a national day of mourning for Tuesday, expressing “deep sorrow” over what he called an “irreparable loss.”

Grieving relatives gathered at hospitals in search of loved ones. One, Tofazzal Hossain, broke down upon learning his eighth-grade cousin had died.

The crash is the worst since 1984, when a domestic flight from Chattogram to Dhaka crashed, killing all 49 on board.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, PUNCH