United News of Bangladesh

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday met the bereaved family members of Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam, who died in the Air Force jet crash into Milestone School and College, and conveyed condolences on behalf of the party and its top leadership. Fakhrul went to the Officers’ Mess of the Bangladesh Air Force in Dhaka Cantonment around 4pm, where Towkir’s wife Aksa Hossain Nizhum and other family members, including his father and mother, were present. He spoke with Towkir’s father Tahurul Islam, mother Saleha Khatun, wife Nizhum and other relatives. During the meeting, Fakhrul conveyed heartfelt condolences from BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and expressed deep sympathy to the grieving family. He also assured the family of the party’s full support and solidarity during this difficult time. Fakhrul was accompanied by senior retired military officials affiliated with the party, including BNP Vice Chairman and former Air Force Chief Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, former Air Chief Air Vice Marshal (retd) Fakhrul Azam, Chairperson's adviser Major General (retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar, Brig Gen (retd) AKM Shamsul Islam Shams and Colonel (retd) Shamsuzzaman Khan. Several senior officials of the Bangladesh Air Force were also present during the visit. Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam, a skilled pilot, lost his life when a BAF training aircraft crashed on Monday on the campus of Milestone School and College in Uttara.  He was later buried in his native village of Supura in Rajshahi. Towkir, also known as Sagar, studied up to class seven at Rajshahi Laboratory School and College. He later attended Pabna Cadet College and joined the Bangladesh Air Force in 2017. Fakhrul meets 5 families of Milestone plane crash victims, offers condolences Just a year ago, he married Nizhum, a lecturer at BRAC University. Separate visits by BNP leaders to other victims' families. Earlier in the day, BNP Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie visited the grave of schoolteacher Masuka Begum Nipu in Sohagpur village of Ashuganj, Brahmanbaria. She died while trying to save students during the tragic crash. Annie laid floral wreaths at her grave and offered fateha at there and prayed for her departed soul.  He also met Masuka’s family members to convey condolences on behalf of the BNP leadership. Meanwhile, a BNP delegation led by Afroza Abbas, President of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal, visited the grave of teacher Meherin Chowdhury in Bugulagari village of Nilphamari’s Jaldhaka upazila. Meherin died while rescuing students trapped inside a classroom. Afroza offered floral tributes and expressed sympathy to the family on behalf of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman. Leaders from Mahila Dal units in Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat were also present during the visit. BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy visited the family of Nusrat Jahan Anika, a third-grade student who was killed in the same Air Force jet crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara. He visited Nusrat’s home in the capital’s Diabari area and expressed sympathy to the grieving family on behalf of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. BNP Standing Committee members Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, AZ Zahid Hossain, Vice Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, and Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also visited the homes of several crash victims and conveyed condolences on behalf of the party and its top leadership.

A funeral parade for Flight Lieutenant Md Towkir Islam of the Bangladesh Air Force was held with full military honours on Tuesday at BAF Base Bir Uttam AK Khandakar following his tragic death in a fighter jet crash in Uttara Milestone School and College. On Monday a BAF FT-7 BGI fighter aircraft took off from BAF Base Bir Uttam AK Khandakar in Dhaka as part of a routine training exercise when it encountered a technical malfunction, according to an ISPR release issued on Tuesday. In a valiant effort to avoid civilian casualties, Towkir Islam maneuvered the aircraft away from densely populated areas. Despite his efforts, the aircraft ultimately crashed into the Milestone School and College campus in Diabari. Injured individuals were immediately taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and nearby hospitals with the help of BAF helicopters and ambulances. Milestone tragedy: Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam laid to eternal rest Despite maximum efforts by the medical team, Flt Lt Toukir Islam was declared dead. He was 27 years old at the time of his passing. He is survived by his parents, wife, and a host of admirers. A first namaz-e-janaza and guard of honour were held on Tuesday at the parade ground of BAF Base Bir Uttam AK Khandakar. Adviser to the Ministry of Home Affairs Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Choudhury was present at the ceremony. On behalf of the Army, Navy, and Air Force Chiefs, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) laid floral wreaths on the coffin of the deceased pilot. Family members of Towkir Islam, senior military officials and personnel of various ranks also attended the funeral. He was later laid to rest with full state honours at a cemetery in Rajshahi. Interim Government Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus expressed deep sorrow over the untimely demise and prayed for the departed soul, extending condolences to the bereaved family. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan also expressed his profound sympathy and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul. Towkir Islam born on November 9, 1997, in Sapura village of Boalia upazila, Rajshahi, Toukir was a bright student and cadet. He passed SSC in 2014 and HSC in 2016 from Pabna Cadet College and earned a BSc in Aeronautics from the Bangladesh University of Professionals in 2020. Towkir joined the Bangladesh Air Force on December 22, 2016, and was commissioned into the General Duties (Pilot) branch on December 1, 2019. During his career spanning 5 years, 7 months, and 21 days, he served in multiple flying squadrons, including Squadron 15 and Squadron 35, where he held roles as a squadron pilot and adjutant. He completed numerous professional courses at home and abroad, including basic flying and fighter conversion, aerospace physiology, air intelligence, electronic warfare, watermanship, and flight commander training. Notably, he also completed an operational training in aerospace medicine (fighter) in India. Towkir Islam will be remembered as a dedicated and courageous officer who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation.

Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher on Tuesday alleged that elements within the Awami League are exploiting Monday’s fighter jet crash to destabilise the country, warning that any such efforts will be countered with the spirit of the July-August Mass Uprising. “Not mentioning the misdeeds what Awami League did in 15 years, we would like to say clearly that there is no scope for the evil force who was defeated and ousted to re-enter Bangladesh’s politics,” he told reporters after reform talks between the National Consensus Commission (NCC) and political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital. He said the nation has been in a state of mourning since Monday due to the tragic crash of a fighter jet, but some evil quarters are trying to take advantage of the grief. Dr Taher said unrest was seen on Milestone School compound on Tuesday morning and again at the Secretariat. “The entire nation stands with them (bereaved families). But it is being heard, though we are not yet fully sure, that some vested quarters within Awami League are trying to worsen the situation,” he added. Jamaat leader Taher senses 'hidden force' behind govt's weakness “If they (AL) start continuing to create anarchy, we, together with all others, will take necessary steps to resist them as we did in the past by upholding the spirit of July-August (mass uprising),” he warned. The Jamaat leader said they prayed for salvation of the departed souls of those killed in the jet crash and expressed deep sympathy for their families. They also conveyed solidarity with the injured and urged the government to ensure their proper medical treatment. Dr Taher said top Jamaat leaders, including its Ameer, have already visited the injured and assured them of necessary assistance.

Bangladesh observed  one-day state mourning on Tuesday over the tragic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) fighter jet in Diabari area of Dhaka that left 31 dead and 165 injured. The national flag was kept at half-mast at all government, semi-government, and autonomous offices, as well as at all educational institutions across the country. Special prayers were offered at religious institutions and places of worship across the country for the departed souls and for the quick recovery of the injured. The tragedy occurred on Monday. The government declared a one-day state mourning for Tuesday following the tragic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) fighter jet on the compound of Milestone School and College in the capital’s Diabari area, said a press release issued by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing. The fighter jet BAF F-7 BGI crashed on the Milestone School and College campus around 1:18pm. Bangladesh declares one-day state mourning Tuesday for aircraft crash victims A fire broke out after the crash and rescue operations were carried out by several units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence. Meanwhile, the death toll from the BAF jet crash has climbed to 31, according to ISPR. "The ISPR reported the number of casualties as 31. A total of 78 people are admitted to four hospitals. The deceased include 25 children, one pilot, and one teacher. The bodies of 20 victims have already been handed over to their relatives,” said Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Dr Sayedur Rahman during a briefing at 8am Tuesday at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

The burial of Samiul Karim Samir (11), a student who died in the tragic plane crash at Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Diabari area, was completed in Mehendiganj upazila of Barishal on Tuesday. His namaz-e-janaza was held at 10:30am at the Bir Muktijoddha Mostafa Kamal School premises in Chanpur Union under Mehendiganj upazila of Barishal. Later, Samiul was buried at the family graveyard beside his maternal grandfather’s home in the same village. Samiul's father, Rezaul Karim Shamim, broke down in tears while seeking prayers for his son before the janaza. News of Samiul’s death cast a shadow of grief across the country, including among locals in his ancestral village. Milestone tragedy: Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam laid to eternal rest “The way I lost my grandson—no one should have to endure such a loss. Flying training aircraft over densely populated areas is wrong. I urge the government to ensure that such accidents do not happen again”, said Abu Zaher, Samiul's grandfather. Among those who attended the funeral were Barrister AKM Masum, a lawyer of the Bangladesh Supreme Court; Professor Abdul Jabbar, Barishal district ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami; Maulana Shahidul Islam, ameer of Mehendiganj upazila Jamaat; Asaduzzaman Mukta, joint convener of Mehendiganj upazila BNP; and Abdul Halim Chowdhury Milon, chairman of South Ulania Union Parishad.

Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam of the Bangladesh Air Force, who lost his life in the fighter jet crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara, was laid to eternal rest in Sapura area of Rajshahi city on Tuesday afternoon. Towkir’s second namaz-e-janaza was held at Rajshahi Uposhohor Eidgah Maidan in the afternoon. Earlier, the body of Towkir was flown to Rajshahi by a helicopter from Dhaka in the morning, said Rafiqul Islam, maternal uncle of Towkir. A sombre atmosphere prevailed throughout Rajshahi city following the loss of its son. Relatives, friends, and well-wishers gathered at his rented home early in the morning to pay their last respects and prayed for the salvation of the departed soul. MCCI mourns loss of lives in Milestone aircraft crash tragedy The district administration, along with various socio-cultural organisations, organised special prayer services in his memory. At least 31 people including pilot Towkir were killed and 165 others injured when the fighter jet tragically crashed into a two-storey building of Milestone School and College in the Diabari area of Dhaka on Monday afternoon. Towkir’s family was flown to Dhaka from Rajshahi in a special military aircraft around 5:30 pm, arranged by the Air Force. His first namaz-e-janaza was held in Dhaka. According to an ISPP release issued on Monday, Towkir Islam, made his highest effort to take the aircraft toward a less populated area to minimise civilian casualties and damage. However, the jet tragically crashed into a two-storey building of Milestone School and College in the Diabari area of Dhaka. The Bangladesh Air Force FT-7 BGI fighter jet crashed on Monday at 1:06 pm shortly after take-off from BAF Base in Kurmitola, Dhaka, as part of a routine training exercise. The aircraft reportedly experienced a technical malfunction, the details of which will be determined through an official investigation, it said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has expressed deep condolences for the casualties in Monday’s fighter aircraft crash in Uttara and conveyed heartfelt sympathies to their bereaved families and injured. In a message to Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, he wished the injured a swift recovery, said the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka on Tuesday. Yarlung Zangbo project only for power generation, Beijing informs Dhaka “I was shocked to learn that a military aircraft of Bangladesh crashed in Dhaka, which has inflicted heavy casualties,” said the Chinese Foreign Minister. The death toll from the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) aircraft crash rose to 31 on Tuesday, according to the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR).

Tensions heightened at Milestone School and College in the capital’s Uttara area on Tuesday amid students’ demonstrations on its compound, protesting what they called ‘falsehoods’ surrounding the casualties in the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) aircraft crash. Addition members of law enforcement agencies, including Armed Police Battalion (APBn) and Public Order Management (POM), Rab were seen entering the school compound around 3:15 pm, reports our correspondents from the spot. Law Adviser Asif Nazrul, Education Adviser and CA’s Press secretary Shafiqul Alam are still confined to college building. The protest began around 10:30am during a visit by two government advisers—Law Adviser Asif Nazrul and Education Adviser CR Abrar—who came to assess the situation firsthand. As the advisers were preparing to leave, the students surrounded them and began chanting slogans: ‘Fake! Fake’! Milestone tragedy: Government rejects claims of concealing casualty information Later, the advisers—accompanied by the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and several teachers—moved to the conference room on the ground floor of Building No. 5 to hold discussions with a delegation of five to seven student representatives. Meanwhile, hundreds of students continued their protests outside the building.

A training aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) crashed in Dhaka’s Uttara area on Monday afternoon, leaving at least 19 people dead and an unspecified number of people including students injured. At a press briefing at the scene, Director General of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Brigadier General Md Jahed Kamal said 19 people gave died so far and the rescue operation is underway,” he said. Lima Khanam, a duty officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) control room, said the crash was reported at Milestone School and College around 1:18 pm. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene immediately, she said. Dr Abhijit, director of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said at least 50 injured people were brought to the hospital and the number is rising. BAF Aircraft Crash: Emergency service centre opened at Burn Institute An energy service unit has been opened to provide treatment to the aircraft crash victims, he said. Witnesses reported that the aircraft burst into flames upon impact, leaving an unspecified number of people injured. Several of the injured were rescued and taken to the Burn Institute in Dhaka, while others were airlifted due to the severity of their injuries.  A number of injured students were also admitted to Uttara Adhunik Medical College Hospital (BMSRI). The fate of the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Toukir Islam Sagar, remains unclear as of filing this report. Talha Bin Zashim, media cell station officer at FSCD headquarters, said eight firefighting units from Uttara, Tongi, Pallabi, Kurmitola, Mirpur, and Purbachal were working to control the blaze and assist in the rescue effort. A BAF rescue team also reached the site and joined the operation, UNB’s correspondent reports. Several ambulances arrived at the location to transport the injured, while local residents and Milestone College students were seen helping emergency responders. Bangladesh declares one-day state mourning Tuesday for aircraft crash victims To assist with rescue efforts and maintain order, two platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed, said Shariful Islam, public relations officer at the BGB headquarters. A large crowd gathered at the crash site, which has caused disruptions to rescue operations.