Bangladesh mourns as jet crash at school claims 27 lives
Milestone School Faces a Devastating Loss
The once vibrant halls of Milestone School and College fell into a stark silence Tuesday, a tuition-less day that followed a tragic Monday night. The incident, the country’s deadliest aircraft crash in decades, claimed 27 lives, 25 of them young students.
In the Wake of the Crash
- Fatalities: 27 deaths, 25 children, 2 adults – one a pilot.
- Injuries: 170+ wounded, 78 hospitalized.
- Student Body: 7,000 pupils, many lost to the tragedy.
Personal Stories of Loss
Shahadat Hossain: A teacher whose son escaped the crash. “The school lost its life,” he lamented.
Abul Bashar: The father of a sixth‑grade student killed. “He was out just a few minutes before the accident,” Bashar recollected.
Authorities Collect Evidence
- Pahn Chakma: A police senior said armed forces were sweeping the site, later handing the area to police for evidence gathering.
- Air Force: Removed the jet’s remnants Monday night; still searching for additional clues.
Community Response
School leaders held a school‑wide prayer Monday night, while the nation’s interim leader, Muhtum Yunus, declared a day of national mourning and expressed deep grief.
Military Investigation
Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam was on a routine training mission when mechanical failure reportedly forced the jet toward the school. The pilot attempted to divert the aircraft over populated areas but the aircraft still crashed, the military said Monday.
