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Published : 07 May 2026, 12:27 PM
A petition has been presented in a Dhaka court to file a case against 16 people, including former interim government chief advisor Muhammad Yunus, alleging negligence over the plane crash at Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Uttara.
The petition was filed in the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam on Thursday by Usaimong Marma, father of deceased student Ukkya Chaing Marma.
The plaintiff's lawyer AKM Sharif Uddin said the court will issue an order after receiving the plaintiff's statement.
Others accused in the petition are interim government law advisor Asif Nazrul, environmental advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan, education advisor CR Abrar, press secretary to the chief advisor Shafiqul Alam, former education secretary Siddique Zubair, the secretary to the Ministry of Defense, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, Air Vice Marshal Morshed Mohammed Khair Ul Afsar, Group Captain Rifat Akhtar Ziku, advisor to the governing body of Milestone School and College colonel (retired) Nurun Nabi, principal Mohammad Ziaul Alam, principal (administration) Md Masud Alam, school branch principal Rifat Nabi, the RAJUK chairman, and the RAJUK field supervisor (north).
On the afternoon of Jul 21 last year, an Air Force training aircraft crashed into a building on the Milestone School and College campus.
The worst air crash in Bangladesh’s history killed 36 people, most of them children.
The committee formed to investigate the Milestone accident submitted its report to then-chief advisor Yunus on Nov 5.
It said the crash and casualties were caused by a flight error by a trainee pilot.
The details of the complaint say students went to Milestone School and College as usual on Jul 21 last year. That day, around 1:18pm, the faulty training aircraft F-7 BGI, which was under the direct responsibility and supervision of the accused, was ordered to fly.
When the novice pilot flew the fighter jet alone, it crashed into Milestone School and College due to an "error".
Thirty-five people, including 28 students, three teachers, three guardians and a director, died, the complaint said. In addition, 172 people were burnt and permanently disabled
It states that the institution did not have a firefighting system and the building was not constructed according to the proper regulations, which severely hampered the rescue operation.
Due to this, although rescue workers began operations immediately, students died before they could be taken to hospital.
Who is Accused of What
The petition says Yunus, was in charge of the armed forces and the Ministry of Defence at the time of the incident. As a result, the crashed fighter jet was under his command and control.
After the accident, the then chief advisor announced that he would give maximum compensation to the affected family, but neglected his duties, broke his promises, and cheated, it adds.
The plea claims that Asif, Rizwana, Abrar, and Shafiqul were grossly negligent in providing treatment and equipment to the burn victims at the hospital, in conducting rescue operations, and giving instructions.
The allegations against the Air Force officials are that the aircraft was flown under their orders and with their permission.
It says they allowed defective fighter jets to fly in densely populated areas like Dhaka city without fulfilling their assigned duties.
The complaint against the Milestone School and College officials says the school was run under their authority and supervision.
It claims so many lives were lost in the tragedy because they ran the institution in a haphazard manner, without ensuring proper security measures, safe emergency exits, or adequate stairways and evacuation routes in the building.
Allegations against the RAJUK chairman and RAJUK field supervisor (Uttara) accuse them of not properly fulfilling the responsibilities assigned to them.
It says they allowed the school and college to operate in a “dangerous and unsuitable building” and are still allowing it to do so.
Though the institution is not suitable for operation, these city administration officials have given permission for it to run, and, in some cases, have allowed the institution to run without objection, it says.
The plea also accuses former education secretary Siddique Zubair of failing to perform his duties for allowing the institution to operate in an “unsuitable” building.
