One year after Milestone air crash, key safety reforms yet to take off
Dhaka: One year after the tragic Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft crash at Milestone School and College that claimed 35 lives, many of the key safety reforms recommended by an official investigation remain unimplemented, raising concerns over aviation safety and urban planning around Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The 185-page investigation report identified pilot error as the immediate cause of the July 21, 2025 crash but concluded that the high death toll resulted from a combination of weak regulatory oversight, unsafe building practices, inadequate emergency preparedness, and poor land-use planning.
Among its major recommendations were relocating schools, hospitals, and other high-occupancy facilities from airport approach zones over the long term, tightening building regulations around airports, strengthening coordination between the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), and moving military flight training operations outside Dhaka. The commission also proposed establishing a new international airport away from densely populated areas.
The report found that several buildings on the Milestone campus lacked proper approvals and that the building struck by the aircraft had only one staircase despite accommodating hundreds of students. Fire safety experts told investigators that additional emergency exits could have reduced casualties.
While CAAB says it has notified RAJUK about buildings violating airport height restrictions and that a joint review is underway, little visible progress has been made on implementing the broader recommendations. Investigators also noted that CAAB had identified hundreds of buildings exceeding airport height limits over the past decade, but enforcement remained limited.
Meanwhile, Milestone School has reportedly applied for approval to construct another academic building on its Diabari campus, although the proposal is still under review.
Families of victims have also expressed disappointment over the slow implementation of the commission’s recommendations, saying stronger action is needed to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.
