One Year After Deadly Jet Crash at Dhaka School, Families Demand Answers

One year after a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into Milestone School and College in Dhaka, killing 36 people — most of them children — families, survivors and campaigners are still demanding the full truth, compensation and sustained medical support.

Anniversary, Memorials and Lasting Trauma

Relatives and survivors gathered this week to mark the anniversary. Many attendees described ongoing physical and psychological suffering, interrupted education and uncertainty about the future. Sixth-grader Nure Jannat Yusha told BBC Bengali: "Even now, if I go to school and see a plane, I feel afraid. I can't sleep at night. In my dreams, someone is throwing me into the fire." She was among more than 160 people injured when the jet struck the school.

Nure Jannat Yusha, on left, was one of the many students who suffered burn injuries after the crash [BBC]

What the Investigation Found

Authorities said an investigative commission was formed soon after the crash and reportedly submitted its findings to the government last November. BBC Bengali obtained a copy of the full report, which identified several serious concerns:

• The pilot lacked sufficient flight training and did not have proper ground supervision during the sortie.
• Investigators found no evidence of a technical fault with the aircraft, contradicting an early statement by the Bangladesh Armed Forces that suggested a mechanical problem.
• Milestone School's building did not meet required building-code standards, and the report identified more than 600 structures near Dhaka's international airport, including schools and hospitals, that breached height restrictions.

Calls for Transparency and Support

Families and campaigners say the government's failure to publish the full report has deepened their distress. At a remembrance event, Mansur Helal — whose wife, teacher Mahreen Chowdhury, died in hospital after suffering severe burns while rescuing students — questioned basic safety features of the school, noting the block where the accident happened had only one exit for hundreds of pupils.

Images from the scene hours after the crash showed scores of emergency service workers sorting through charred rubble [Getty Images]

Those gathered are calling for:

• Public release of the complete investigative report;
• Implementation of the report's safety and regulatory recommendations;
• Compensation for victims and families; and
• Long-term medical, psychological and educational support for survivors.

Official Response

Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain attended a memorial event and said the government would provide support to survivors needing further treatment. Zubaida Rahman, who attended the ceremony, praised the courage of survivors. The Bangladesh Armed Forces did not respond to a request for comment on the report obtained by BBC Bengali.

Survivors' Struggles

Many survivors continue to cope with severe injuries and lasting trauma. A fifth-grader, Mehreen, told reporters she can no longer attend classes because sunlight aggravates her burns: "If I get a little sunlight, my whole body burns. For that reason, I do not go to school any more." She and others described sleep disturbance, nightmares and cognitive difficulties — symptoms that have disrupted learning and daily life.

As the first anniversary passes, bereaved families and injured pupils say unanswered questions about training standards, supervision, building safety and the sealed report continue to haunt them. They urge the government to act on the commission's recommendations to prevent similar tragedies.