On 21 July 2025, a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crashed in the Uttara neighborhood of Dhaka shortly after takeoff.
The crash occurred around 13:00 local time (07:00 GMT) after the jet departed from a Bangladesh Air Force Base. Hours after the impact, emergency workers were filmed sorting through charred rubble in a desperate search for survivors. While the Bangladeshi Armed Forces initially attributed the disaster to a mechanical fault, a leaked government report suggests a different cause: human error and regulatory neglect.
The Leaked Report: Pilot Error and Building Code Violations
According to a copy of the full investigative report obtained by BBC Bengali, the crash was not caused by a technical fault with the aircraft. Instead, the findings point to a lack of proper ground supervision and insufficient flight training for the pilot.
The report also highlighted severe infrastructure risks surrounding Dhaka’s international airport. Investigators found more than 600 buildings, including hospitals and schools, that violated height restrictions. Specifically, the report noted that Milestone School failed to comply with building codes, creating a dangerous environment for the thousands of students attending the facility.
“The building in which this accident happened had only one door. How can there be only one door for 800-900 students?”
— Mansur Helal, husband of victim Mahreen Chowdhury
The lack of emergency exits became a focal point for families. Mahreen Chowdhury, a schoolteacher and wife of Mansur Helal, died in a hospital from extensive burns she suffered while attempting to rescue students during the chaos.
Demands for Accountability and Public Disclosure
Although the investigative committee reportedly submitted its findings to the government last November, the document has not been made public. This secrecy triggered widespread unrest, with hundreds of student protesters clashing with police to demand accountability and a total overhaul of training flight regulations.
Families of the victims are now calling for the government to formally release the report and implement the compensation and medical support for survivors that the committee had originally recommended.
Mansur Helal, referencing a recent BBC documentary on the committee report, told a crowd during a memorial: No one can give a guarantee that another plane will not fall onto this school in the future.
The stakes are high for the community; the outlet reported that between 2,500 and 3,000 students attend the school every day, leaving them exposed to the same systemic failures that led to the 2025 crash.
Contradictions in Official Narratives
A critical gap exists between the public statements of the military and the internal findings of the government. The Bangladesh Armed Forces claimed early on that the jet experienced a mechanical fault. However, the leaked report explicitly contradicts this, stating there was no technical fault with the aircraft.
When asked for comment on these contradictions, the Bangladesh Armed Forces did not respond.
The Path Toward Justice
The movement for justice now rests on two primary goals: the official publication of the investigative report and the distribution of compensation.
Until the government implements the committee’s recommendations, the survivors continue to seek the medical and financial support promised in the hidden documents, while the school remains a site of both mourning and ongoing safety concerns.
Sources: bbc.co.uk.
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