Bangladesh Air Forced plane crash in Dhaka leaves at least 19 dead, several injured

Dhaka (Web Desk/Agencies): A tragic incident unfolded in Dhaka on Monday when a training aircraft operated by the Bangladesh Air Force crashed into a school and college campus, resulting in the deaths of at least 19 people.

The crash occurred in Uttara, a northern suburb of the capital, and left more than 50 others injured, many of them suffering from severe burns. According to a doctor from the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, children were among the hospitalized victims.

The aircraft was an F-7 BGI fighter trainer, which had departed at 1:06 PM local time. Shortly after takeoff, it went down and collided with buildings belonging to the Milestone School and College, setting off a massive fire.

Eyewitness footage from the scene captured thick black smoke billowing into the air, as shocked onlookers gathered nearby. Emergency services responded swiftly, with firefighters battling flames and working through the wreckage of the jet, which had slammed into the side of a structure and left a gaping hole.

At the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, some of the injured were rushed in for emergency treatment. A third-grade student was pronounced dead upon arrival, while others, including children aged 12 and 14 and an adult aged 40, were admitted for burn care. The atmosphere was heavy with anguish as people wailed and consoled one another outside the facility.

The impact of the crash, coupled with the resulting fire, caused significant panic among students, staff, and local residents.

In a statement issued by the armed forces' public relations department, the military confirmed the aircraft’s departure time and acknowledged the crash.

Head of Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, assured the public that a thorough investigation would be conducted and that support would be provided to all those affected. He called the damage and loss of life "irreparable" and extended condolences to the families of victims, the Air Force, and the broader school community.

This catastrophe comes just weeks after another aviation tragedy in neighboring India, where an Air India flight crashed into a hostel at a medical college in Ahmedabad. That disaster resulted in 260 fatalities, making it the deadliest plane crash worldwide in a decade.