The roar of a fighter jet turned into a nightmare on July 21, 2025, when a Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI trainer aircraft crashed into Milestone School & College in Uttara, Dhaka. What was meant to be an ordinary school day ended in heartbreak —more than 20 lives lost, including bright young students, devoted teachers, and the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam Sagar. Over 160 others were injured, many with life-threatening burns.
This tragedy is not isolated. Across Asia and Africa, the aging F-7 fighter jets have been involved in a string of fatal crashes — from Pakistan and China to Iran and Zimbabwe. Behind every crash is a story of families shattered, futures cut short, and questions left unanswered.
As Bangladesh observes a national day of mourning, the pain is shared by a growing number of nations still flying these Cold War-era jets. Many are now asking: how many more lives must be lost before change takes flight?
Follow: @tongerkhobor
