Probe blames pilot error for Milestone jet crash, recommends shifting Air Force training outside Dhaka
On 21 July, more than 30 people were killed as a fighter jet of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed at the Uttara campus of Milestone School
Highlights:
- School building lacked Rajuk approval and proper safety measures, report says
- Poor fire exits and escape routes increased casualties
- CA directs urgent implementation by the Air Force, Rajuk, and Caab
- Recommends upgrading Barishal and Bogura airstrips
- Suggests equipping airport fire stations with foam tenders
- Restrictions on high-risk buildings near airports recommended
The Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet that crashed into Milestone School and College in July, killing more than 30 people, had lost control due to the pilot's operational error, according to an official investigation report submitted to Chief Adviser (CA) Muhammad Yunus.
"The probe body concluded that the tragedy resulted from a pilot's operational error during flight, which caused a loss of control over the aircraft. Among its key recommendations, the committee proposed that, for public safety, all initial Air Force training be conducted outside Dhaka," CA's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy today (5 November).
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"The situation went beyond his [the pilot's] control," added Shafiqul, quoting the report's summary.
Earlier in the day, head of the investigation committee Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hassan, principal staff officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division, formally handed over the report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his official residence, Jamuna.
The press secretary said the probe committee, formed on 29 July, interviewed around 150 individuals, including experts, eyewitnesses, and victims' families, and gathered 168 pieces of information.
Building lacked Rajuk approval and safety measures
The investigation also stated that the Milestone School building was not built in accordance with Rajuk's Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC).
Shafiqul, citing the report, said the building had only one staircase instead of the required three.
The committee observed that this deficiency, along with the absence of adequate fire exits and escape routes, had significantly increased the number of casualties.
The report also expressed serious concern over unregulated construction in the newly expanded areas under Rajuk's jurisdiction — including Savar, Kanchan, and Tarabo municipalities — where local authorities have been issuing building approvals on their own.
'It's all gory; limbs blown away, body melting in fire': Milestone College student recalls horror
"Rajuk follows a clear set of building codes, but many new municipal authorities under its jurisdiction often issue permissions without maintaining the same standards. The meeting directed that Rajuk's building regulations be implemented uniformly across all its territories," Shafiqul said.
Recommendations on aviation and emergency response
Based on its findings, the committee made 33 recommendations to the government, said the press secretary.
The report highlighted several key safety issues related to airports and air operations, Shafiqul said, adding, it identified a shortage of aircraft in the Air Force and emphasised the need to equip all airport fire stations with foam tenders to effectively control aviation-related fires.
It suggested upgrading and expanding the airstrips in Barishal and Bogura to accommodate training flights and ease air traffic congestion around Dhaka.
The report recommended that the Civil Aviation Authority strictly enforce height restrictions and ban the construction of high-risk establishments, such as schools, hospitals, warehouses, and small industries, within take-off and landing funnel zones near airports to prevent large-scale casualties in the event of accidents.
The committee further emphasised the need for proper maintenance of airstrips across the country to ensure safe flight operations.
CA orders swift action on aviation safety, urban oversight
Following the probe report's findings, the chief adviser has instructed the Air Force, Rajuk, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab) to jointly implement the recommendations on an urgent basis.
He stressed that both aviation training safety and urban planning enforcement must be strengthened simultaneously to prevent similar incidents in the future.
"This was a tragic lesson for all of us," Shafiqul said.
He went on to say, "The government has taken the probe findings very seriously. Every recommendation will be implemented to ensure such a disaster never happens again."
The tragic incident
On 21 July, at around 1pm, a fighter jet of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed shortly after takeoff, hitting the campus of Milestone School and College in Uttara, where classes were in session. The crash killed 36 people - 28 students, three teachers, three parents, one staff member and the pilot.
The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam Sagar, who was on his first solo flight, managed to eject from the aircraft but later died from his injuries.
The incident sparked widespread public outrage over the conduct of military training flights over densely populated areas of the capital.
Urban planners and aviation experts also raised concerns about the construction of buildings in high-risk air corridors, attributing the issue to weak regulatory enforcement and poor urban oversight.
