A Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crashed onto a school campus in Dhaka on Monday afternoon, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 170 others. Most of the injured are schoolchildren.

Crash at Milestone College Campus

The incident happened at the Milestone College campus in Uttara, a busy area of Dhaka. According to Shahjahan Shikder, a military spokesperson, the crash resulted in 20 deaths and 171 injuries. Many of the victims were children present inside the school at the time.

Special Assistant Sayedur Rahman said around 70 injured victims, mostly schoolchildren, are being treated in hospitals for serious burns.

Pilot Among the Dead

The pilot of the aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Mohammad Towkir Islam, also lost his life in the crash. This information was confirmed by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the communication wing of the Bangladeshi military.

Jet Details and Origin

The crashed plane was an F-7 BGI fighter jet, a multi-role aircraft manufactured by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. Bangladesh had bought this model in 2022 at a cost of $5.85 million per jet.

Fire and Rescue Teams Rushed to the Scene

The crash happened at around 1:06 PM local time, according to fire service official Lima Khanam. Firefighters and military rescue teams arrived at the scene quickly after the crash.

Videos of the accident went viral online. They showed thick black smoke and large flames rising from the crash site.

High Casualty Due to Presence of Children

Authorities stated that the presence of children inside the school campus contributed to the high number of deaths and injuries. Fire officials and military rescue teams worked together to control the fire and assist the injured.

The Bangladeshi military is investigating the cause of the crash. Officials have not shared any further details yet.

This tragic incident has raised concerns over the safety of military flights near populated areas in Bangladesh.