DHAKA. Thousands of students took to the streets of Dhaka on Tuesday following a tragic air force jet crash that killed 31 people, including at least 25 children, when the aircraft slammed into a school in the capital.
The incident occurred on Monday as students, many under the age of 12, were preparing to head home from class. A Chinese-made F-7 BGI fighter jet of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed into the school compound and exploded, causing a fire that trapped children inside classrooms. The military later confirmed the crash was caused by mechanical failure.
Protests erupted as two government officials arrived at the scene. Students from the affected school and nearby colleges demanded transparency from the interim government, shouting, “Why did our brothers die? We demand answers!”
Elsewhere in Dhaka, hundreds of students stormed the federal government secretariat. Some carried sticks and demanded the resignation of the education adviser. Police responded with tear gas, sound grenades, and baton charges to disperse the crowd, reportedly leaving dozens injured. Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Talebur Rahman confirmed the use of tear gas but said he had no official count of injuries.
Rescue teams continued clearing the wreckage on Tuesday, while families mourned their losses. Abul Hossain, who lost his nine-year-old daughter Nusrat Jahan Anika, said through tears, “I took her to school yesterday morning like every day. I had no idea it would be the last time I would be seeing her.”
Others shared stories of survival. Rubina Akter recounted how her son Raiyan Toufiq escaped with minor burns after jumping onto the grass to extinguish his burning clothes. “He tore his shirt and vest inside, which saved him from severe burns,” she said.
The jet had taken off on a routine training mission from a nearby air base. Military officials said the pilot, who was among the dead, attempted to divert the plane away from populated areas but was unable to avoid the crash.
As of Tuesday, the military reported 31 confirmed deaths and 165 hospitalizations. The health ministry said 68 victims remain in hospitals, with 10 in critical condition.
In response to the tragedy, the Bangladeshi government declared a national day of mourning, lowered flags to half-mast, and called for prayers in all places of worship. A statement from Pope Leo offered prayers for the victims and their families, expressing deep sorrow for the loss.
Student protesters called for the immediate release of the names of those killed and injured, the retirement of aging military jets, and revisions to air force training protocols. A statement from the press office of interim administrator Muhammad Yunus said the military, schools, and hospitals were working together to publish a list of victims. The air force has also been instructed to avoid flying training aircraft over densely populated areas.
The F-7 BGI, a modernized variant of China’s Chengdu J-7 aircraft, is based on the Soviet-era MiG-21. Bangladesh purchased 16 of these aircraft in a 2011 agreement, with all units delivered by 2013.
The tragedy comes just weeks after neighboring India suffered one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent years, when an Air India flight crashed into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad, killing 241 of 242 people on board and 19 on the ground.
Bangladesh is currently under the leadership of an interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, following the departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August after weeks of student-led unrest. The interim administration has pledged to hold national elections next year amid growing pressure to hold them sooner.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
