The morning routine at Milestone School and College in Dhaka began like any other. Teachers greeted students. Children streamed through corridors. Classrooms filled with chatter and chalk dust. Outside, an overcast sky hung heavy yet unremarkable. Nothing hinted at the disaster about to unfold.

At 9:02 a.m. a distant roar cut through the air. Many mistook it for passing traffic. Seconds later an ear‑splitting blast shattered windows and silence alike. A Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet spiraled downward, clipped a rooftop edge, and plunged straight into the three‑story academic block.

Teacher recounts horror in real time

Purnima Das, a senior language teacher, had just finished her lesson for grade seven. She stepped into the staff room to file attendance records. An abrupt boom made her heart pound. She rushed toward the hallway. Flames already licked ceiling beams. Smoke rolled in thick waves.

A fellow teacher stumbled toward her, engulfed in fire, screaming for help. Before she could respond, the colleague collapsed. Shock rooted Purnima to the spot. She watched halls turn into tunnels of fire. Students she had taught minutes earlier ran, clothes ablaze, searching for exits that no longer existed.

Casualty figures climb as search continues

Initial reports spoke of 19 deaths, including 16 children. By nightfall the toll reached 27. Hospital officials confirmed over 100 burn victims, some critical. Doctors fought to stabilize airways seared by superheated fumes. Surgeons performed graft procedures through the night. Blood banks issued urgent calls for O‑negative donors.

Firefighters retrieved charred remains long after flames subsided. Identification teams used dental records and personal effects. Parents waited outside gates, clutching photographs, pleading for news. Many received the worst.

How the crash unfolded

Air Force spokespeople said the downed aircraft was an F‑7BGI, a Chinese‑built variant of the J‑7 interceptor. The jet departed from Dhaka Air Base at 8:40 a.m. on a routine training sortie. Ten minutes in, ground control noted unstable altitude readings. Pilot radioed hydraulic failure.

Witnesses saw the fighter banking erratically before losing lift. The pilot attempted a last‑second climb yet lacked thrust. Ejection systems failed or were not engaged in time. The jet broke the sound barrier of safety and hammered into the school’s central wing. Fuel tanks ruptured. A fireball erupted, sending shards of metal, concrete, and shattered glass across the playground.

Pilot among the deceased

The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Rahman Khan, possessed 600 flight hours on the F‑7 platform. Recovery teams found his body near the cockpit wreckage. Military officials hailed him as a dedicated officer and promised full honors. They emphasized that he tried steering away from dense residential blocks, perhaps preventing even worse destruction.

Emergency response races against time

Dhaka Fire Service arrived within ten minutes yet confronted fierce heat. Water lines struggled to reach upper floors. Students broke windows to escape smoke. Some jumped, sustaining fractures. Volunteers formed human chains to ferry the injured. Local clinics overflowed; ambulances shuttled nonstop to tertiary hospitals.

Police cordoned off the area. Bomb disposal units confirmed no secondary explosives. Engineers evaluated structural integrity—two wings risked collapse. Search dogs combed debris. Work lights illuminated grim tasks until dawn.

Voices of survival and loss

In a Facebook post later deleted for privacy concerns, Purnima Das chronicled those harrowing minutes. She wrote that eighty percent of pupils fled within the first alarm. Remaining students were trapped by fallen beams doused in jet fuel. She carried buckets from restrooms, throwing water on burning uniforms, yet flames outran her efforts. Someone finally dragged her outside, clothes singed but skin intact. Survivor’s guilt now outweighs physical wounds.

Parents recounted frantic calls from children, voices fading behind crackles of static. One father described hearing his daughter whisper, “Smoke everywhere, can’t breathe,” before the line went silent. He reached the campus too late.

Government and military launch parallel inquiries

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound sorrow, announcing a national day of mourning. Flags across public buildings will fly half‑mast. She ordered a high‑level committee to investigate mechanical, procedural, and training lapses.

The Bangladesh Air Force grounded its remaining F‑7BGI fleet pending inspection. Maintenance logs, flight data recorders, and voice transcripts have been sealed for analysis. International aviation experts from China and the International Civil Aviation Organization will assist. Early findings suggest hydraulic failure compounded by outdated avionics.

Safety standards under renewed scrutiny

Critics argue that aging F‑7 jets, first developed in the 1960s, no longer meet modern safety demands. Bangladesh procured the upgraded BGI series a decade ago, but spare parts shortages hamper upkeep. Flight instructors warn that single‑engine fighters afford little margin for error over populated zones.

Residents near the base have long complained about low‑altitude drills above schools and housing. City planners note that rapid urban sprawl has surrounded military facilities once isolated. Calls grow louder for relocating training routes away from civilian clusters.

Psychological toll on community

Counselors set up crisis desks inside nearby hospitals. Children exhibit trauma responses—nightmares, silence, sudden outbursts. Teachers struggle with guilt and flashbacks. The education board suspended classes until structural repairs finish and mental health support stabilizes.

Religious leaders across Dhaka held interfaith vigils. Candles lined sidewalks outside Milestone School. Messages of solidarity flooded social media under hashtag DhakaSchoolPlaneCrash. Alumni groups launched crowdfunding drives to rebuild classrooms and fund long‑term therapy for survivors.

International reactions

Condolences poured from neighboring countries. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a message of sympathy and offered medical assistance. UN Secretary‑General António Guterres urged a thorough probe and lauded first responders. Chinese President Xi Jinping, noting the fighter’s origin, dispatched technical experts to aid inquiry.

Legal implications and compensation

Bangladesh law mandates state compensation for victims of military accidents. An initial fund of ten million taka per family is under discussion. Legal analysts expect civil suits citing negligence and inadequate safety protocols. Parliament faces pressure to review aviation guidelines and amend zoning laws near bases.

Milestone School’s path to recovery

Engineers estimate reconstruction costs at 450 million taka. Donors, NGOs, and corporate sponsors pledge resources. Temporary classrooms will rise in modular units on the sports ground. Teachers plan bridging courses to offset academic loss. Board exams may receive special consideration for affected students.

Administrators vow to embed stronger emergency drills, smoke detectors, and sprinkler systems once rebuilding finishes. They also intend to establish an annual memorial day honoring lives lost.

Community resilience shines through

Volunteer blood donors surpassed hospital capacity by evening. Local bakeries sent bread to waiting families; pharmacies supplied burn ointments free of charge. University engineering students designed low‑cost air filters for ward rooms treating smoke inhalation patients.

Survivors speak of unity born from tragedy. One tenth‑grader who escaped with minor burns said, “We will learn again, together, for those who cannot.” Such determination anchors the city’s healing process.

The Dhaka school plane crash stands as a stark reminder of aviation risk intersecting with urban density. Twenty‑seven lives ended, and many futures remain uncertain. Families grapple with grief, officials confront accountability, and a nation questions policy.