THE Milestone School and College jet crash of July 21, 2025, is a national tragedy of unspeakable proportions — one that transcends the conscience of the entire nation. The tragic and untimely deaths of our children have plunged the country into profound grief. For the families affected, the loss is irreparable, and those who survived will undoubtedly carry the trauma for years to come.
At around 1:18 pm, an F-7 BGI training aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed onto the campus of Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka, killing at least 31 people — mostly children — and injuring over 150 others. The pilot, flight lieutenant Towkir Islam, also lost his life. Reports suggest he attempted to divert the aircraft away from populated areas before impact. Yet, his sacrifice, and the loss of so many innocent lives, raises immediate and serious questions about our preparedness and existing aviation safety policies. This tragedy underscores the urgent need to enhance safety protocols in training operations to prevent future disasters, protect national assets and restore public confidence.
The 2025 crash stands as the deadliest of its kind in Bangladesh’s aviation history. Unfortunately, it is not an isolated incident. Over the past two decades, several training flights have ended in disaster:
In June 2005, an F-7 training jet crashed over a residential area in Uttara; the pilot survived. In June 2015, an F-7MB crashed into the Bay of Bengal; the pilot went missing and was presumed dead. In July 2018, a K-8W trainer crashed near Jashore during a night exercise, killing both instructors. In November 2018, an F-7BG trainer went down in Tangail’s Madhupur; wing commander Arif Ahmed Dipu succumbed to injuries after ejecting at low altitude. In May 2024, a Yak-130 crashed into the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram, killing squadron leader Asim Jawad and injuring his co-pilot.
These recurring accidents highlight a disturbing pattern that demands immediate national attention.
Several factors contribute to the frequency and severity of such incidents. A major concern is the continued use of ageing aircraft — particularly the F-7 series, based on the 1960s-era Soviet MiG-21. These aircraft were inducted as stopgap solutions, intended to serve until modern single-engine multirole combat aircraft could be acquired. While some newer trainers like the Yak-130 and K-8W have joined the fleet, their numbers are limited and insufficient to replace the ageing platforms entirely.
Operating legacy aircraft comes with steep financial and technical challenges. Budget constraints often result in compromised maintenance, delayed repairs, and reliance on obsolete systems — a deadly combination in high-speed aviation, which demands utmost precision and reliability.
Another critical issue is the lack of designated training airspace. Bangladesh’s high population density and rapid urbanisation mean that key airbases — especially in Dhaka and Chattogram — are located near densely populated areas. As a result, routine training flights regularly pass over schools, hospitals and residential neighbourhoods. The Uttara crash tragically illustrates how a single technical failure can lead to mass casualties within seconds. Unlike countries with vast territories that allow for remote and secure training zones, Bangladesh must consider alternatives, such as establishing expanded bases in remote regions or re-routing flight paths to avoid urban concentrations.
Maintenance and oversight procedures within the Air Force also warrant scrutiny. Bangladesh lacks an independent military aviation accident investigation authority; most inquiries are conducted in-house. This lack of transparency hampers the kind of sweeping reforms that such tragedies demand.
Moreover, the country does not have a domestic overhauling facility for its military aircraft, relying instead on foreign services that involve long delays — especially in transporting the aircraft. In the context of an aging fleet and limited replacement options due to budgetary and geopolitical constraints, establishing an in-country overhauling facility is not just prudent but essential.
Globally, militaries have reduced flight mishaps through a combination of cultural and technical reforms. The US Navy’s NATOPS (Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization) programme, for example, has cut aviation mishaps by over 70 per cent in two decades. Bangladesh could implement similar systems. Standardised safety protocols, error-reporting mechanisms, and crew resource management training can significantly improve operational safety. Although some aviation safety seminars have been held within BAF, they need institutional support, consistent funding, and follow-through to produce real change.
There must also be a re-evaluation of our defence budgeting and procurement priorities. Policymakers must recognise that short-term cost-cutting in aviation safety leads to long-term catastrophe. Even a 5–10 per cent increase in the defence budget dedicated to safety reform could yield transformative results.
Furthermore, zoning regulations around military airbases need urgent revision. Clear buffer zones must be established where schools, hospitals and high-rise residential structures are prohibited.
For policymakers and military planners, this is a defining moment. This tragedy forces us to confront issues long neglected, and to pursue changes that can prevent future catastrophes. An independent air accident investigation board must be set up. At least one modern flight simulator should be acquired immediately. International aviation safety partnerships must be initiated without delay. Maintenance protocols should be overhauled and establishing a domestic aircraft overhauling facility must be treated as a strategic priority.
The lives lost in Uttara — innocent children, a devoted pilot, compassionate teachers — must not become mere statistics buried in forgotten reports. Their loss must be the turning point. If we fail to act now, we risk consigning future generations to the same heartbreak. Let this be the moment we reclaim Bangladesh’s skies — not through tragedy, but through safety, integrity and accountability.
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Imran Hossain is a lecturer in business administration at Rabindra Maitree University, Kushtia.
