A Skyfall No One Saw Coming: Grief, Questions, and a Nation Demanding Truth
It was supposed to be just another Monday. Exams were underway, teachers moved through lesson plans, and the bell at Milestone School and College rang like any other day. Then, without warning, the sky tore open.
A Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet plummeted into the heart of the Dhaka campus, reducing part of the school to scorched rubble and unleashing a tragedy that has left an entire nation mourning—and demanding answers.
A Routine Takeoff, A Catastrophic Descent
On July 21, 2025, an F-7 BGI aircraft—built in China and used by the Bangladesh Air Force for training missions—lost control shortly after takeoff from a nearby base. Moments later, the jet collided with the school’s main building in the Uttara neighborhood, striking during peak class hours.
Eyewitnesses say the aircraft barely cleared the skyline before spiraling downward. “It looked like it was trying to turn away,” said a rickshaw driver who witnessed the crash. “Then it just dropped. Like something out of a nightmare.”
The impact killed 19 people, including several children and the pilot, and left more than 70 others wounded—dozens of them critically.
A Scene of Chaos and Courage
Within seconds, the hum of learning gave way to screams, flames, and smoke.
With ambulances delayed by traffic and a surge of emergency calls, teachers, residents, and even students took matters into their own hands—pulling victims from debris, rushing the wounded to hospitals in private vehicles, and wrapping burns with classroom cloths.
“Everything was on fire. I couldn’t see the windows anymore—just a wall of heat,” said Masud Tarik, a teacher who had just exited the building with his children.
In the frantic aftermath, cell phone videos captured harrowing scenes: students stumbling out of the building, their uniforms torn and faces streaked with ash. Parents ran toward the gates, screaming names. Others waited for hours, clinging to hope.
Familiar Aircraft, Rising Concerns
This isn’t the first incident involving an F-7 BGI in South Asia. Last month, a Myanmar Air Force pilot was killed when the same aircraft model crashed during a training mission.
Aviation safety advocates have long raised concerns about the aging Chinese-made fleet—questions that now feel less theoretical and far more urgent.
Lt. Col. Sami Ud Dowla Chowdhury, spokesperson for the Bangladesh military, confirmed a mechanical failure. “The pilot attempted a final maneuver to steer the jet away from dense areas,” he said. “His actions may have prevented even greater loss of life.”
Still, calls for a deeper investigation are growing. Critics are questioning how a plane deemed airworthy could fail so catastrophically, and whether routine maintenance or procurement policies played a role.
Survivors and Sorrow
@theemusafir “We were on the 7th floor when the plane engine burst and hit our building… Later, it hit a building full of kids. Allah saved us, but the fear still lives. 😢🙏” #MilestoneCollege #PlaneCrashDhaka #DiyabariIncident #PrayForKids #AllahSavedUs #UttaraNews #BangladeshToday ♬ som original – AKA$HER ™ PHONK
Among the dead was a third-grade student. Others, including a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old, are in critical condition at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Dr. Bidhan Sarker, who heads the burn unit, described the injuries as “traumatic, both physically and emotionally.”
Rosy Ahmed, whose son survived the crash but lost two classmates, said, “My child came home shaking. He keeps asking, ‘Why our school?’ I don’t have an answer.”
The government, led by interim head Muhammad Yunus, declared July 22 a national day of mourning. Flags were lowered to half-mast across the country. In a statement, Yunus promised a “full and transparent investigation,” adding, “This is not just a military failure. It’s a human tragedy.”
Beyond the Black Smoke: What Comes Next?
VIDEO | Dhaka: Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashes into a school in Dhaka, killing at least one person, fire official says. More details awaited.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 21, 2025
(Source: PTI Videos) pic.twitter.com/bzXMGqJTEE
What makes this tragedy even more painful is its location—a school, a place meant to protect and nurture. Milestone School and College had once been known for academic excellence. Now, it is a symbol of how quickly security can turn to catastrophe.
The investigation will focus on mechanical integrity, training protocol, and the sourcing of military aircraft. But no report will undo the grief now etched into Dhaka’s streets.
Final Thought
The crash at Milestone School has pierced the soul of a nation. For those who survived, life will never feel as predictable again. For the families of the dead, there is only the weight of loss—and the aching hope that no other parent will ever receive the same phone call.
As the smoke clears and the debris is removed, one question hangs heavy in the air: could this have been prevented? The people of Bangladesh deserve more than condolences. They deserve answers.