DHAKA, Bangladesh (BN24) — The death toll from Monday’s Bangladesh Air Force jet crash has risen to at least 27, including 25 children, officials confirmed Tuesday, in one of the country’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent memory.
The F-7 BGI fighter aircraft, on a routine training mission, plunged into a densely populated school and college campus shortly after taking off from the Kurmitola Air Base in Dhaka at 1:06 p.m. local time. Military officials said the Chinese-made jet suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure before spiraling into the buildings.
Scenes from the crash site showed a grim tableau — scorched walls, twisted metal, and classrooms reduced to rubble — as rescue teams combed through the charred structures. Family members and teachers stood in shock outside, many still searching for loved ones or receiving updates at nearby hospitals.
Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser on health, said 88 people, many of them children, were admitted with burn injuries. The confirmed fatalities include the aircraft’s pilot, a schoolteacher, and 25 students who were in class when the jet came down.
Monday’s earlier reports had placed the death toll at 19, but the number rose significantly after emergency crews completed search operations in the rubble overnight. Several victims succumbed to their injuries in hospital, according to health authorities.
The Bangladeshi government declared a national day of mourning on Tuesday. Flags flew at half-mast across the country, while mosques, temples, and churches held special prayers in memory of the dead.
The F-7 BGI is the most advanced model in China’s Chengdu J-7 fighter jet series, originally based on the Soviet MiG-21. Bangladesh acquired 16 of the aircraft between 2011 and 2013 as part of a broader modernization of its air force.
The military has opened an inquiry into the crash, focusing on potential flaws in the aircraft’s engine systems. Witnesses said the plane was trailing smoke moments before the impact. There was no distress signal recorded, raising questions about the severity of the failure and the pilot’s ability to respond in time.
The crash comes just weeks after India experienced its worst aviation tragedy in over a decade, when an Air India flight slammed into a student hostel in Ahmedabad, killing 241 passengers and 19 people on the ground. That incident had already shaken regional aviation authorities, and Monday’s crash in Bangladesh is likely to heighten concerns over flight safety and aircraft maintenance standards across South Asia.
Grief and anger are mounting as families of the victims demand accountability from the military and aviation authorities. The Ministry of Defense has promised a transparent investigation and support for the injured and bereaved.
