Today marks the haunting day of that milestone tragedy

A year after the devastating aircraft crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara, the school bell rings as usual and students continue to attend classes and return home at the end of the day. Yet behind that familiar routine lies a painful memory that continues to haunt many students, teachers and parents.

For those who survived the tragedy, 21 July 2025 is not an ordinary date. It is the day when a routine school day turned into a scene of death, fire and unimaginable panic within minutes.

Monday morning had begun like any other day. Lessons were under way in classrooms at the institution’s Project-2 building. Young children sat in their uniforms with books and schoolbags beside them, holding notebooks and pens as they followed their lessons.

At around 1pm, as the school day was drawing to a close, an F-7 BGI training aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force took off from the Bir Uttam A K Khandker airbase in Dhaka at 1.06pm. Twelve minutes later, at approximately 1.18pm, the aircraft crashed into the Haider Ali Academic Building of Milestone School and College.

The impact transformed the busy educational campus into a disaster zone.

The aircraft’s nose struck the area near the staircase of the building used by primary pupils, while the impact of its wings and the ensuing fire devastated two classrooms. Within moments, the campus was engulfed in smoke, dust, flames and chaos. Terrified students ran in different directions as screams and cries echoed through the premises.

Parents and relatives rushed to the school, desperate to find their children. The atmosphere was filled with grief and panic as rescue efforts began and injured pupils were brought out of the damaged buildings.

The disaster claimed the lives of 36 people, including the pilot, a teacher and 28 students. Many other students, teachers and school employees were injured.

The injured were taken to hospitals across the capital, while those suffering serious burns received treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Some survivors eventually returned home after lengthy hospital stays, but many were left with permanent burn scars and the psychological trauma of what they had witnessed.

The identification of some victims also proved difficult. Several bodies had been severely damaged by the fire and could not initially be identified. Later, DNA testing conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department confirmed the identities of five victims, after which their remains were handed over to their families.

For students who witnessed the crash, the memories have proved particularly difficult to overcome.

Class 12 student Naimul Hasan Adit was around 100 metres from the building when the aircraft crashed. He recalls seeing the building struck with tremendous force and witnessing the devastating consequences for his fellow students. For a long time afterwards, he would wake suddenly in fear during the night.

His family considered moving him to another educational institution because of the impact the tragedy had on his mental wellbeing. But the memories of his classmates and his attachment to the school led him to remain at Milestone.

Among the injured survivors was fourth-grade student Rubaida Noor Alvira, who was inside the building that was hit by the aircraft. She spent two months and seven days in hospital receiving treatment. Now a fifth-grade student, she has gradually returned to normal life, although the memories of that day remain vivid.

Alvira says she was deeply traumatised after the accident, particularly after returning home from hospital. She eventually went back to school when classes resumed and no longer feels afraid on campus. But the loss of her friends remains painful. Among those she remembers most is Ayman, a friend with whom she used to talk frequently.

Another survivor, seventh-grade student Navid Nawaz Dipto, endured an especially difficult recovery. Around 45 per cent of his body was burned, and he spent 97 days in hospital. During his treatment, he underwent 36 operations and eight skin-grafting procedures. He eventually returned home after months of intensive medical care, but his long recovery remains a powerful reminder of the struggle faced by many survivors.

The physical injuries are only part of the story.

Parents say some injured students continue to display signs of psychological distress. Some become irritated or angry without warning, while others struggle to concentrate in class. The sound of an aircraft flying overhead can still trigger fear in some children, prompting them to cover their ears or panic. Some reportedly wake up crying in the middle of the night.

For families who lost their children, the passage of time has done little to ease the pain. Everyday scenes can become painful reminders of what they have lost. Watching children leave for school carrying their bags can bring back memories of sons and daughters who will never return home.

Relatives have also said that the financial compensation announced by the government cannot compensate for the loss of a child. Some bereaved families have reportedly declined to accept the Tk 2 million compensation, saying that no amount of money can fill the void left by their children’s deaths.

A year on, the tragedy remains deeply etched in the memory of the Milestone community. The survivors continue to cope with physical injuries and emotional trauma, while bereaved families struggle with an absence that cannot be repaired.

The continued presence of the wreckage of the crashed aircraft near the school has also become a source of discomfort for some students and parents. They say seeing the aircraft can bring back memories of the horrific day and make it harder for survivors to move on.

For the families of those who died, the students who survived and the wider Milestone community, 21 July remains a day of mourning. The classrooms may once again be filled with lessons, laughter and the sound of school bells, but the memory of the tragedy has not disappeared. One year later, the scars—both visible and invisible—remain.