Bangladesh military jet crashes into school, killing 20 and injuring more than 170

A Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a school campus in the capital, Dhaka, on Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 170, according to officials. It is one of the deadliest aviation incidents in Bangladesh in recent years.

The crash occurred around 1:18 p.m. local time on Monday when an F-7 BGI fighter aircraft slammed into a building at Milestone School and College in the Uttara area of northern Dhaka, triggering a large fire and widespread destruction.

Firefighters recovered 19 bodies from the site, and one additional person later died in the hospital, according to the Fire Service.

Authorities said the aircraft experienced a mechanical failure shortly after taking off from the Kurmitola air base as part of a routine training flight.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the jet had taken off at 1:06 p.m. and encountered technical difficulties within minutes. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Taukir Islam, attempted to steer the jet away from populated areas before the crash, but was unable to eject in time. His body was recovered from the wreckage.

Footage from the scene showed thick black smoke rising from the campus and the remains of a two-story building engulfed in flames. Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence said it began receiving reports at 1:18 p.m.

Of the 171 people injured, many were students between the ages of 10 and 15, several of whom suffered serious burns, according to medical staff at Dhaka’s National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

The Health Ministry said 17 of the victims were children, and treatment was being provided at seven hospitals across the city. One doctor told BBC News that more than 50 people had been hospitalized with burns, many in critical condition.

The fire was brought under control by 2:25 p.m. and fully extinguished by 2:45 p.m. A total of 186 personnel were involved in the rescue, and the operation officially concluded at 8:30 p.m.

The F-7 BGI is a Chinese-built fighter aircraft used by the Bangladesh Air Force for training and combat roles.