Training aircraft crashes into school: No words to describe this tragic accident

Minutes after the school ended at 1pm, some students had left their classrooms to head home, others were standing on the verandas or in the field chatting with friends. Some were waiting in the classroom for their next coaching session. At home, mothers were waiting—soon their beloved children would return from school, eat, and sleep. But within minutes, a terrible calamity descended from the sky; a training aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed onto Milestone School and College in Diabari, Uttara, Dhaka.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported that the aircraft took off at 1:06pm on Monday. It was an F-7 BGI model of the Bangladesh Air Force, a training fighter jet made in China. The Fire Service stated that the training aircraft crashed into a building of Milestone School and College at 1:18pm.

Since Monday afternoon, no one in Bangladesh has likely been able to focus on anything else. The entire country has grieved like the parents of the injured and deceased children, lamenting—oh, how could such a thing happen! In a single moment, several fresh flowers vanished! Among the injured, many have suffered such severe burns that it is feared the death toll will rise. As of the latest report, 22 people had died in the accident, and around a hundred others were injured.

Since the aircraft crashed, a storm of criticism has erupted on social media—why was a training fighter jet flying over a densely populated city? Some are blaming the pilot, while others are placing blame on the authorities instead. No matter who is blamed now—those lives cannot be brought back. The hearts of the parents have been left empty forever.

In Bangladesh, a kind of political game begins around any major accident. The same politics is not absent here either. Some political figures have already appeared at the accident site trying to draw public attention, which has significantly increased the crowd at the site. This too has sparked widespread criticism on social media.

The most disgraceful matter is that while small children writhe in the agony of burn injuries, a group of journalists and content creators are rushing to record videos. One child, his body ablaze, was walking alone and crying; instead of being helped, he was filmed and left. The question arises—where has human conscience gone? Even so, there is a glimmer of hope, as countless people have called for blood donations and any other help needed.

A one-day national mourning has been declared on 22 July in response to this tragic incident. We also express our deepest condolences. We do not have the words to describe this heartbreaking tragedy. However, whatever the cause of this accident may be, a proper investigation must be conducted.