Sirens blared through Dhaka on Monday as ambulances carried the charred bodies of children to the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, following Bangladesh’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades.
At least 19 people, most of them young students, were killed when a Bangladesh Air Force jet crashed into a school campus in the city’s northern Uttara suburb.
The Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft slammed into Milestone School and College moments after students were dismissed for the day around 1:00 p.m. local time. The impact set off an enormous fire, sending thick smoke billowing from the two-storey building.
According to the armed forces, the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Md. Taukir Islam, encountered a mechanical failure shortly after takeoff from an air force base in the capital. He attempted to steer the aircraft away from densely populated areas but was among those killed in the crash.
More than 150 people were injured, many with severe burns. Hospital officials said 51 victims were brought to the burn institute, most of them children between eight and 14 years old. At least 20 are still in critical condition.
Witnesses described scenes of horror and chaos. “When I looked back, I only saw fire and smoke… there were many guardians and kids here,” said Masud Tarik, a teacher at the school. Another teacher, Rezaul Islam, said he saw the jet strike the building “directly.”
One student told reporters he watched the plane hit “right in front of my eyes.”
In the hospital’s intensive care unit, families waited anxiously. Among them was Monsur Helal, whose wife, Mahrin — a school coordinator — lay on life support after being injured while helping children evacuate. “She was able to speak with me briefly, but now she is unresponsive,” he said.
Outside, grieving parents wept and embraced one another. Dozens of volunteers lined up to donate blood as doctors worked to stabilize the injured.
The interim government of Muhammad Yunus declared a national day of mourning for Tuesday, urging the country to remember the victims.
Monday’s tragedy is the worst aviation accident Bangladesh has seen since 1984, when a flight from Chattogram to Dhaka crashed, killing all 49 on board.