The death toll from Monday’s tragic plane crash at the Milestone College campus in Uttara, Dhaka, has risen to 19, with more than 100 others injured—most of them school students.
Dr. Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, confirmed the updated casualty figure while speaking to reporters at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery around 4:30 PM on Monday.
“Sixteen people have been confirmed dead so far. Over a hundred are injured, and the majority of them are students,” he said.
The victims with severe burns have been admitted to multiple hospitals, including the National Burn Institute, Uttara Adhunik Medical College Hospital, Lubana General Hospital, and Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital. Many remain in critical condition.
In response to the tragedy, the interim government has declared Tuesday (July 22) a day of national mourning. Flags will be flown at half-mast at all government, semi-government, autonomous, and educational institutions, as well as in Bangladeshi missions abroad. Special prayers will also be held across religious establishments in memory of the victims.
At around 1:06 PM, an F-7 BGI training aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force took off and soon after crashed into 'Haider Hall', a building on the Milestone School and College campus. The crash sparked a massive fire that engulfed the building, which was occupied by students at the time.
The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Tawkir Islam Sagar, was critically injured and later died in hospital. Rescue operations were swiftly conducted by the Fire Service, Army, BGB, Police, and RAB. Several of the injured were airlifted to military and civilian hospitals for emergency care.
Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus expressed his profound sorrow over the tragedy, calling it an "irreparable loss" for the nation. He directed health authorities to treat the injured with the utmost priority and ordered a full investigation into the cause of the crash.
As of Monday evening, the final casualty figures remain fluid as rescue and treatment efforts continue. Authorities are working around the clock to provide support to the victims and their families.
