A Chinese-made F-7 BJI trainer aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed on the campus of Milestone School in the Dayabari area of the capital Dhaka on Monday afternoon.
Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense Department Director General Brigadier General Mohammad Zahid Kamal said that 19 people have died so far and at least 164 people have been injured in the plane crash. All the injured have been admitted to various hospitals including the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute located near Dhaka Medical College, Kurmitola Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Combined Military Hospital and Uttara Modern Hospital.
“We are deeply saddened by the incident and will investigate how the plane crash happened,” said the government’s legal advisor, Professor Asif Nazrul.
According to Milestone College lecturer Razaul Islam, the incident occurred when the school was about to close. “A fighter jet hit the building directly. It engulfed several classes of the nursery and junior sections. The school gate was completely destroyed and caught fire,” he said.
A statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the plane took off at 1:06 pm on Monday. Some time after takeoff, the plane lost control and crashed into the ground.
Nine fire service teams are engaged in rescue operations. The Bangladesh government has declared a national mourning on Tuesday. The national flag will be flown at half-mast in all government, semi-government, independent and educational institutions on this day.