The crash of an Air Force training jet at Milestone School and College in Uttara, resulting in the deaths of so many innocent children, is a profoundly tragic event. The aircraft crashed in a location where young children were inside classrooms.
I express my deepest condolences to the parents of the deceased and injured children. I also wish a speedy recovery to all the injured. The death of the trainee pilot who was flying the aircraft has also deeply saddened us.
The question is: Could this accident and the subsequent deaths have been avoided?
Perhaps it could have—if we had a dedicated runway for military aircraft located in a remote location, far from residential areas, such as a large open field or a river island (char), or even elsewhere.
Perhaps it could have—if we had a dedicated runway for military aircraft located in a remote location, far from residential areas, such as a large open field or a river island (char), or even elsewhere.
For example, the abandoned airport in Lalmonirhat could have been repurposed for such use. Globally, training aircraft typically take off and land in sparsely populated or isolated areas. This way, even if an accident occurs, the damage is minimal.
Training fighter jets require long runways, which we currently have in Chattogram and Sylhet. The Air Force uses the Chattogram runway, but the Sylhet runway is not ideal due to its proximity to the border. Dhaka is a densely populated city, filled with high-rise buildings, schools, universities, and more. In such an environment, any crash can result in a high number of casualties.
The loss of so many young children because of this plane crash is incredibly painful. It’s natural to ask whether policymakers will learn anything from this incident.
For many years, no new aircraft have been purchased for the Air Force. Over the past 50 years, various governments have ruled the country—none of them ever claimed there was a lack of funds. So, why wasn’t the Air Force modernised? Who will answer this question?
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the crash may have been due to mechanical failure. That may be their view, but I believe we can’t definitively say what caused the accident until a full investigation is completed by the Air Force. It is true that the aircraft was quite old. A military aircraft typically has a service life of 10 to 12 years.
For many years, no new aircraft have been purchased for the Air Force. Over the past 50 years, various governments have ruled the country—none of them ever claimed there was a lack of funds. So, why wasn’t the Air Force modernised? Who will answer this question?
Military—or any—aircraft can crash due to mechanical issues or other reasons, but everyone involved must remain extremely vigilant. It must be investigated whether the recommendations from past accident inquiry committees have actually been implemented.
I have been involved in investigation committees for civilian aircraft accidents. For military aircraft, separate committees are formed. The recommendations these committees make cannot be implemented by mid- or lower-level officers. Decisions must come from the highest level—on whether to keep using certain aircraft or decommission them.
In such cases, everyone tends to defend their own position. Engineers will claim the aircraft was airworthy. Pilots will say they received proper training. This happens in many other sectors as well. Take the rickety buses on Dhaka’s roads, for example.
They continue to operate and cause fatal accidents, yet authorities take no action. Drivers and owners defend themselves by claiming the buses are fit for operation. Even 54 years after independence, these unsafe buses still run freely in Dhaka. If the government declared tomorrow that such buses must be taken off the roads, they would have to comply.
The government must prioritise public safety above all else. It can’t sit idle like a king on a throne. Half-hearted or temporary actions won’t suffice—especially when people’s safety is at stake. The focus must shift away from personal gain. What’s alarming is the grip of bribery and corruption at every level of the administration.
Regarding political culture, one party can’t seem to tolerate the other. The gathering of political leaders at hospitals after the crash showed a complete lack of responsibility. The government’s one-day mourning for the Milestone School tragedy must not be mere tokenism.
The government must stand by the families of the victims and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured. We must honestly say: We failed to save those children, and for that, we must apologise to their parents.
I hope the government and authorities concerned will learn from this tragic event and the painful deaths of so many children. They must promise the nation that no more fighter jets will fly over densely populated areas in the future.
A dedicated alternative runway must be established immediately. If everyone does not remain alert, even greater tragedies may occur in the future.
One final note: the families who lost their children are emotionally devastated. It is the government's responsibility to offer them support and compassion. The government has already stated that it will cover the cost of treatment for the injured.
I hope this is not just a hollow promise. Let us not see, two days later, that the parents are being forced to bear the costs themselves. In the past, we saw reports in the media of negligence in treating those injured in the 2024 mass uprising. Let’s ensure that the parents of these injured children are not subjected to the same.
My final message: The government must take immediate action to prevent such accidents from recurring. There is no room for delay.
* Flight Lieutenant (Retd.) Salahuddin M Rahmatullah is former Air Force official, head of aircraft accident investigation committee