In brief
Twelve months after a Bangladesh Air Force training jet tore through the Milestone School in Dhaka, killing 36, families and survivors are demanding answers. The crash left many students with severe burns and psychological trauma, yet the official investigative report remains unpublished. Protesters have clashed with authorities, calling for transparent disclosure, better safety regulation, and compensation. Government officials promise medical support, but the community calls for accountability and reforms to prevent future tragedies.
On 21 July 2025, a Bangladesh Air Force training jet burst into the Milestone School in Dhaka’s Uttara neighbourhood, felling 36 people, most of them children. A year later, survivors and relatives are still shrouded in uncertainty and grief, demanding a full disclosure of the investigative report and accountability from the authorities.
The crash, the country’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades, left students with severe burns, crippling medical bills, and lasting psychological trauma. Despite the government’s promise of medical support and a commission to investigate, the report submitted in November 2025 remains classified, and families claim they have received no concrete answers.
Students like Nure Jannat Yusha, who sustained burn injuries, say that they can no longer attend school and struggle to sleep, haunted by nightmares of flames. Yusha’s mother, Yasin Akter, recalls the dream of her daughter becoming a dancer fading in the face of the disaster. “In my dreams, I am thrown into the fire,” she told reporters.
The investigative commission highlighted lapses in building code compliance at Milestone School and noted that over 600 nearby structures violated height restrictions around the international airport. It also found that the pilot lacked sufficient training and proper supervision, contradicting earlier claims of a mechanical fault.
Protesters in March 2025 – hundreds of students – marched to the civil benches, clashing with police as they demanded transparency. “No one can guarantee another plane will not fall onto this school in the future,” Mansur Helal, the husband of a victim, urged a crowd gathered at the memorial that Sunday.
The Commission’s findings have not yet been released, and families are calling for a public version of the report. They also seek compensation as recommended by the committee, which the government has yet to implement. Health Minister Sardar Sakarat Hossain announced plans to offer medical support for those needing long‑term care.
While the nation mourns, the survivors keep fighting for justice. Local activists, school teachers, and parents are united in demanding that the government enact stricter rules for training flights near schools and enforce building safety codes. The call for accountability remains urgent as Bangladesh looks to prevent a repeat of this tragedy.
