Investigation Summary
The accident occurred during a routine solo training flight. Shortly after lifting off from BAF Base Bir Uttom A. K. Khandker at 13:06 local time, the aircraft suffered a mechanical malfunction that led to a stall. Although the control tower commanded the pilot to eject, the aircraft's low altitude and rapid loss of control made a safe ejection impossible. The jet struck a two-story building on the Milestone School campus, which was occupied by approximately 1,000 students at the time. The investigation highlighted that the school building had not been approved according to the Bangladesh National Building Code and featured only one central staircase instead of the required three, which significantly hindered evacuation and increased the death toll. Furthermore, the crash reignited long-standing criticism regarding military training operations over the densely populated capital city. While the school itself was within the 150ft height limit, the investigation revealed that over 600 other buildings near the airport violated height restrictions, highlighting broader urban planning failures.
Final Conclusions
The official investigation committee submitted its report to the Chief Adviser on November 5, 2025. The report concluded that the tragedy resulted from a pilot's operational error during flight, which caused a loss of control over the aircraft. According to the Chief Adviser's press secretary, the situation went beyond the pilot's control following this error. While initial military statements attributed the crash to mechanical failure, the final report emphasized the pilot's role in the loss of control. The committee also noted that the high ground casualty count was linked to illegal building design and poor urban planning, specifically the lack of required emergency exits.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
Bangladesh Jet Crash How it Happened? — A detailed look at the July 2025 crash of a Bangladesh Air Force F-7BGI into a school campus in Dhaka, covering the mechanical failure and the impact on the ground.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Crew Experience
Pilot
Flight Lieutenant Md Towkir Islam Sagar. Total hours are an approximate figure based on reports of over 100 hours on PT-6 trainers and 60 hours on the F-7BGI. The final investigation report concluded that the pilot lacked sufficient flight training for the maneuvers attempted, which contributed to the loss of control.
Systems & Failure Modes
Chengdu FT-7BGI Airframe
A trainer variant of the J-7 (MiG-21 derivative) featuring upgraded avionics and pilot interfaces; the investigation noted potential fatigue in aging airframes of this type.
Ejection Seat
The pilot was unable to utilize the ejection system because the aircraft's altitude was too low for a safe deployment following the stall.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Chengdu FT-7BGI, a 2013 trainer variant of the J-7 manufactured for Bangladesh.
- 02At least 28 of the 37 fatalities were children attending the Milestone School.
- 03The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Md Towkir Islam Sagar, had logged approximately 60 hours on the F-7BGI type.
- 04The school building involved in the crash had only one staircase, violating the Bangladesh National Building Code.
- 05This was the sixth crash of an F-7 variant in Bangladesh since 1998.
- 06The aircraft call sign was THUNDERCAT 701.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Relocation of Training Operations
The investigation committee recommended that all initial Air Force training be conducted outside the densely populated Dhaka region to ensure public safety.
Building Code Enforcement
Authorities were urged to strictly enforce the Bangladesh National Building Code, specifically regarding the number of emergency exits and staircases in educational institutions.
Maherin Chowdhury Bravery Award
The Ministry of Education established an annual award in honor of Maherin Chowdhury to recognize teachers who perform acts of bravery during emergencies.
Victims Memorial Establishment
The government designated a specific section of the Uttara-12 City Corporation graveyard as a permanent memorial for the victims of the crash.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Discrepancy in Casualty Figures
Reference ↗Protesting students and local families alleged that the government and military were withholding the true death toll, a claim denied by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and BAF officials. Early reports from international media outlets like Reuters and ABC News initially cited significantly lower figures (ranging from 19 to 31 fatalities) before the final toll of 37 was confirmed.