Panic gripped Dhaka as Bangladeshi Airforce jet crashed into a college campus, reigniting serious concerns over aging Chinese aircraft in the fleet
In a shocking incident today, a Bangladesh air force (BAF) F-7, BGI fighter jet crashed near the capital of Dhaka with debris reportedly landing on a local college campus.
The pilot ejected safely, and no civilian causalities have been reported so far. The crash, however, has sparked fresh concerns about the reliability of the Chinese-manufactured aircraft, which has a controversial track record.
The F-7 BGI, a modernized version of the Chengdu F-7 (a Chinese clone of the Soviet MiG-21), has been a part of Bangladesh Air force fleet for years. despite upgrades the aircraft has been involved in multiple accidents raising red flags and defence circles. Monday’s crash marks yet another setback for the Chinese-origin jets, which are still in operation across several developing countries due to their affordability.
A pattern of trouble?
This isn’t the first time the F-7 series has made headlines for wrong reasons; Bangladesh has seen half a dozen of F-7 crashes in last two decades often during training missions. Critics argue that the jet’s design, originally conceived over 60 years ago, is no longer suited to modern air combat or even safe long-term training operations.
Fleet safety under scruitny
After a recent crash near a crowded college campus, defense experts are calling for a full safety check of the Bangladesh Air Force’s fighter jets.
Public concern is also rising, as images and videos from the crash site circulate on social media, showing plumes of smoke near college grounds and emergency services rushing to the scene.
The Bangladesh government has yet to issue a formal statement regarding the future of the F-7 fleet, but military insiders suggest this incident may accelerate the push for new-generation fighter acquisitions.