Bangladesh Air Chief urges calm as students protest school jet crash

Bangladesh’s Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan appealed for calm on July 23 after widespread protests erupted over the Bangladesh Air Force jet crash at Milestone School in Dhaka.

The protests, led largely by students, followed the tragic July 21 crash of an F‑7BGI training jet into the school, killing at least 31 people, including 25 students, and injuring 165, of whom 68 remain hospitalized. Out of them, 10 are said to be critically injured.

Addressing reporters, Khan urged the public to reject rumors circulating on social media. He stated that “no one will be harmed, except for our country,” and stressed that the Air Force is not hiding details of the investigation.

He said the force is "heartbroken" and is working to bring the situation under control amid unrest.

Protests have been intense: hundreds of students surrounded the crash site and Bangladesh Secretariat, demanding accountability, an accurate death toll, compensation for families, and an end to training flights involving outdated aircraft.

Police responded with tear gas, baton charges, and sound grenades, injuring dozens. Parents and survivors shared gripping accounts: one father recalled bringing his nine-year-old daughter to school, never expecting it to be their last moment together.

A student recounted hearing a deafening crash and finding lifeless bodies scattered across the campus.

The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam Sagar, was on his first solo flight. The Air Force stated the jet experienced a “technical malfunction” shortly after takeoff from the Kurmitola Air Base around 1:06 p.m.—the pilot attempted to steer away from densely populated areas.

Students are calling for grounded training flights in populated zones and public disclosure of all investigation findings.

The interim government declared a national day of mourning, and authorities are working to publish the names of victims and injured.

As rescue operations continue and investigations proceed, the public’s demand for transparency and safety reforms grows louder.