Death Toll in Bangladesh Plane Crash Rises to 31, Including 25 Children; 78 Injured Under Treatment

Melbourne, July 22 — The death toll from the crash of a Bangladesh Air Force training fighter jet into a building of Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka has risen to 31. A total of 78 people are currently receiving treatment in various hospitals. So far, the bodies of 20 victims have been handed over to their families.

At 2:00 PM local time on Tuesday (July 22), the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released this information.

reported that 78 injured individuals are being treated across four hospitals. Among the deceased are 25 children, one pilot, and one teacher. Eight more people succumbed to their injuries on Monday night. The majority of the casualties are concentrated in two hospitals — the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), which has 28 admitted patients and 15 of the deceased, and the Burn Institute, where 42 are currently admitted.

Dr. Md. Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, stated that six of the bodies remain unidentified, and DNA samples have been collected. A body part was also taken to Uttara Modern Hospital. Three patients are being treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and one person was declared dead upon arrival at United Hospital.

The condition of patients in the ICU and HDU at the Burn Institute is critical. Dr. Rahman added that the hospital has requested technical assistance from Singapore General Hospital under an existing MoU. Case summaries have already been sent, and the Singapore High Commissioner is personally present at the hospital to facilitate coordination and further action.

Dr. Rahman urged people not to crowd the hospitals. He mentioned that most of the injured are children and currently there is no significant need for blood donations. The ICU at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) is also on standby. He detailed that the deceased bodies were handed over as follows: 10 from the Burn Institute, 8 from CMH, 1 from United Hospital, and 1 from Dhaka Medical.

In response to a question, Dr. Rahman said the list of patients and their locations is publicly available. He requested that those still searching for loved ones consult that list.

For the protection of patients, security has been tightened around the Burn Institute. Entry is restricted to those with valid identification and proof of patient connection. The army is overseeing security in the area.

During the morning press briefing, only accredited journalists were allowed in. After the briefing concluded, media personnel were instructed to wait outside the hospital premises until the next briefing at 2 PM.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the aircraft took off from Kurmitola Air Base (A. K. Khandaker Base) at 1:06 PM on Monday and crashed into the school building shortly after. Fire Service and Civil Defense received the emergency call at 1:18 PM. It was later confirmed that a Chinese-made F-7 BGI fighter jet, used for training purposes, crashed into a two-story school building due to mechanical failure.

Immediately after the crash, the building caught fire. The area was filled with the screams of injured children and the anguish of parents and relatives frantically searching for their loved ones. According to the latest reports, at least 171 people have been injured in the incident.

Meanwhile, college students staged protests with six major demands. Amidst the demonstrations, Legal Advisor Asif Nazrul stated on Tuesday afternoon that the government has accepted the students’ demands.

The students’ demands are as follows:

1. The full names and identities of the deceased must be officially released.

2. A complete and accurate list of the injured must be published.

3. Public and unconditional apology for the alleged physical assault on teachers at the crash site.

4. The Bangladesh Air Force must compensate the families of each deceased student.

5. All outdated and unsafe aircraft used by the Air Force must be retired and replaced with new, safer models.

6. The Air Force’s training protocols and areas must be reorganized to prioritize humanitarian and public safety concerns.

During their visit to the crash site in the morning, Legal Advisor Asif Nazrul and Education Advisor Professor Dr. C. R. Abrar faced angry protests from the students, who chanted slogans calling them “frauds.”