A routine day at Milestone School and College in Dhaka turned into a nightmare when a Bangladesh Air Force F-7 fighter jet crashed into a two-storey primary school building on Monday, killing at least 31 people—many of them young students—and injuring dozens more.

“It was like 30 or 40 thunderbolts falling from the sky,” said 18-year-old student Ahnaf Bin Hasan, who witnessed the horrifying moment just 30 feet away. Moments later, the plane slammed into the school’s primary section, exploding into a ball of fire and debris.

The aircraft, on a training mission, reportedly developed a mechanical fault shortly after takeoff. Though the pilot managed to eject, he later died from his injuries in hospital. Witnesses saw his parachute drift down moments after the explosion, crashing through a nearby building.

A Scene of Fire, Smoke, and Screams

As the jet tore through the building, chaos erupted. Flames engulfed classrooms, including two tragically named “Cloud” and “Sky.” Children screamed, some on fire, others trapped behind locked gates and steel grilles.

Ahnaf, despite being injured by burning debris, immediately jumped into action. He helped rescue students, cleared paths for emergency workers, and even gave his own uniform shirt to a child whose clothes had burned off.

“I saw bodies. I saw children crying in pain. I carried a burned student on my shoulder to the medical room. Everything was smoke and screams,” he recalled.

One of the victims was 11-year-old Wakia Firdous Nidhi. Her family spent the night searching hospitals until her father identified her by a dental mark and a defect in one eye. Yet even after positive identification, authorities refused to release her body without DNA verification due to conflicting claims.

Moments of Luck and Heartbreak

There were also near-miraculous escapes. One child survived simply because his mother gave him money for lunch instead of packing food—he left the building at the exact moment of the crash.

But for others, the tragedy was immeasurable. One father lost both his children in a single day—his daughter died first; his son succumbed to injuries just hours later, while he napped in the hospital.

Among the heroes was teacher Mahreen Chowdhury, who rescued at least 20 students before succumbing to burns over 80% of her body. She refused to leave, returning again and again into the burning building until she could no longer.

Lingering Trauma and Growing Questions

Planes—both military and commercial—often fly over the campus due to its proximity to Dhaka’s main airport. But this unprecedented disaster has left the community devastated and demanding answers.

The government reports 29 dead and over 100 injured, while the military places the toll at 31. At least seven victims remain unidentified. Grief-stricken families say several people are still missing, and some suspect an official cover-up—an accusation the military denies.

For survivors like Ahnaf, the trauma remains unbearable. “I haven’t slept since. Every time I hear a plane, I duck. When I close my eyes, I see smoke. The screams are still in my ears.”