Families at Milestone School Still Await Answers a Year After the Tragic Crash
On 21 July 2025 a Bangladeshi Air Force training aircraft left the sky over Dhaka and plunged into the grounds of Milestone School and College, killing 36 people—including students and staff—and injuring more than 160 others.
A Sudden Tragedy
The crash turned a bustling school into a scene of flames and frantic rescue efforts, as emergency crews combed charred debris for survivors.
A Year‑Long Call for Transparency
During a memorial held a year later, survivors such as sixth‑grade student Nure Jannat Yusha spoke of nightmares and a loss of hope. Describing herself as “afraid to see planes again” and “unable to study or sleep”, Yusha highlighted the lasting trauma the incident has caused.
Her mother, Yasin Akter, said the dream of becoming a dancer vanished after the accident, and that Yusha now suffers from paranoia whenever she sees a plane.
Investigative Findings and Unreleased Report
An independent committee was set up to probe the crash. Its report—submitted to the government last November—concluded that the school had not met building codes and that over 600 nearby structures violated height restrictions, raising alarm for other institutions close to the airport. It also found that the pilot had insufficient training and that no technical fault existed with the aircraft.
Despite these findings, the full report has not been released, and families argue that it is crucial for accountability and for preventing future tragedies.
Government Response
Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain promised support for survivors requiring ongoing medical care. Public figures, including the wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, praised the resilience of affected children, calling them a “source of inspiration for the nation.”
Yet survivors such as Mehreen Chowdhury, a fifth‑grade student, reveal the day‑to‑day challenges: pain from light exposure, disrupted sleep, and diminished learning ability, signs of a trauma that the report’s recommendations have yet to address.
Families are urging the government to hand over the full report, provide compensation, and enforce stricter regulations on training flights around schools and hospitals.
In the words of Helal, who lost a child in similar circumstances, “No one can guarantee that another plane won’t fall again” in this region—a stark reminder that yet another tragedy could be only a matter of chance.
