Hundreds of students gathered outside the scorched remains of Milestone School and College in Dhaka on March 11, 2024, demanding accountability following a tragic incident where a military jet crashed into the campus, resulting in the deaths of at least 27 individuals, including 25 children. The incident occurred when a Bangladesh Air Force FT-7 jet experienced a mid-air mechanical failure shortly after takeoff, crashing into the school as students were concluding their afternoon classes.
Witnesses described the chaos that ensued when the aircraft plummeted onto the two-story building, engulfing it in flames and thick smoke. Parents, who had gathered at the school to pick up their children, were left to witness the horror unfold. Around 171 others sustained serious injuries, many of them suffering from severe burns. The tragedy has sent shockwaves throughout the nation of approximately 171 million people, prompting an outpouring of grief and national mourning.
Eyewitness Accounts Reveal Devastation
At the crash site, the scene was harrowing. Mohammad Imran Hussein, an English lecturer at the school, described the moment of impact: “The sound was really intolerable. I looked around to see what happened, and I saw the tail of the plane and a huge flame of fire.” The building that was struck housed nearly 100 students aged six to 13, and Hussein likened the aftermath to a “death trap.”
Sheik Rameen, a 21-year-old high school student, recounted his desperate attempts to save his younger peers. “I saw a burnt child seek help but nobody came to help them,” he said, visibly shaken. The emotional toll on the community has been profound, as survivors and families grapple with the loss of so many young lives.
Official Responses and Investigations
According to reports from the Bangladesh Armed Forces and state media BSS News, the jet was on a routine training mission at approximately 13:18 local time when it encountered a mechanical fault. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam, reportedly attempted to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas. Despite his efforts, the jet crashed into the school.
In the aftermath, the government has faced scrutiny for its handling of the situation. Muhammad Yunus, the interim government leader, expressed his devastation in a video message, stating, “What answer can we give to their parents? What can we possibly say to them?” He emphasized the unexpected nature of the tragedy, remarking that “none of us ever imagined it.”
As investigations continue, the identities of the deceased remain unverified, leading to concerns among the families of the victims. Some students expressed doubts about the official death toll, fearing it may be higher than reported.
Emergency services worked tirelessly at the crash site, while families rushed to hospitals across Dhaka to seek information about their loved ones. The Dhaka Medical College Hospital quickly became inundated with patients, predominantly children under the age of 12, suffering from severe burns and other injuries.
As the community mourns, calls for accountability and transparency grow louder. The impact of this tragic event will resonate throughout Bangladesh as it seeks to come to terms with the loss of innocent lives in what has become one of the deadliest air incidents in recent history.
