The pilot of a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft that crashed in Dhaka’s Uttara area has died.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate confirmed Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam Sagar’s death on Monday afternoon.
He was among the 19 fatalities reported so far in the incident, according to ISPR. The fire service had earlier also confirmed the same death toll.
The BAF training aircraft crashed into Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Uttara area earlier in the day, critically injuring Sagar.
Initial speculation suggested that the young pilot had died after the crash, but sources in the air force told Dhaka Tribune that he was still alive when emergency responders rescued him.
“His pulse was detected. He was flown by an MI-17 helicopter to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and admitted to the CCU,” said a BAF officer, requesting anonymity.
According to the BAF official, Towkir had completed a dual flight earlier that day and was attempting his first solo mission.
“Shortly after take-off, the aircraft became unresponsive. It stalled mid-air, and he lost control. The tower urged him to eject, but the plane was flying too low for a safe ejection. He was trying to manage the emergency until the end. Tragically, the aircraft crashed,” the officer told this correspondent.
“Towkir was still in the cockpit when the plane went down,” added the air official.
The fighter jet involved in the crash was an F-7BGI, a Chinese-made aircraft primarily used for training and light combat roles.
