A Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet crashed into a school campus in Dhaka’s Uttara neighborhood on July 21, 2025, killing at least 19 people and injuring more than 50 others, most of them students. Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as rescue operations continue.
Aircraft crashed minutes after takeoff
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the jet took off from a nearby base at 13:06 local time and went down a few minutes later, hitting a building inside the campus of Milestone School and College. The aircraft burst into flames upon impact.
Images circulating on social media show parts of the campus engulfed in fire as emergency crews attempted to control the blaze.
A Bangladesh Air Force Chengdu F-7 BGI crashes onto a school campus in Dhaka’s northern Uttara area, killing at least 1 person and injuring others, according to the military and a fire official.
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) July 21, 2025
The aircraft crashed on a campus of the Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s… pic.twitter.com/SWwCpxcW4Y
Casualties and injuries
The Fire Service and Civil Defense Department confirmed that at least 19 people have died so far. More than 50 others sustained severe burns, including women and children, and were transported to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery and Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Most of the victims are believed to be students who were in classrooms or sitting for exams when the crash occurred.
Large-scale emergency response
A Bangladesh Border Guard helicopter has joined the response efforts, while the Bangladesh Navy is also assisting in the ongoing rescue operations.
The cause of the crash has not been determined. The Bangladesh Air Force confirmed that an inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the incident.
The Chengdu F-7 BGI is a modernized version of the Chinese-built F-7 fighter, derived from the Soviet-era MiG-21 design. It features updated avionics, multi-function displays, and can carry a mix of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. The Bangladesh Air Force operates 36 F-7 aircraft in total, introduced as part of its fleet modernization program in the last decade.