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The Diplomat
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Diplomat
Flying Coffins and Broken Systems: The F-7 Disaster in Bangladesh
The tragic crash into a school was not an aberration, but the result of entrenched issues in the Bangladesh Armed Forces. On July 21, an FT-7BGI trainer from the Bangladesh Air Force crashed through the roof of a school in Uttara, Dhaka, killing its pilot and 30 other people, most of them children. It was the deadliest aviation disaster the capital has ever seen, and yet it was utterly predictable. The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) has been plagued by crashes for decades. Since the early 1990s, at least 27 crashes have claimed military and civilian lives, including seven involving the Chinese-made fighters like the F-7. Each time, officials mumble the same line: 'technical failure,' as if bad luck, not bad governance, keeps sending jets into homes, fields, and now classrooms. Those excuses are a shield for a deeper rot. Even the 'newer' F-7 models bought under the now-fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2013 are derivatives of a 1960s Soviet design and notorious for their poor safety record. Privately, BAF personnel concede the obvious: these jets are obsolete, dangerous, and costly to keep in the air. Publicly, senior officials shift the blame to urban density, pilot error, or technical malfunctions. What they never confront is the corrupt procurement system and cynical budgeting that keep these flying coffins in service. Bangladesh's defense budget has ostensibly ballooned by 123 percent since 2009. Yet recent cuts leave just $9 billion earmarked for actual procurement. That number looks tiny set against the colossal sums quietly diverted elsewhere. The budgeting system is engineered less to build capability than to buy loyalty. Parliamentary scrutiny is almost nonexistent. 'National security' is the magic phrase used to turn off the lights and lock the ledger. Transparency International rates Bangladesh as a 'very high' risk for defense corruption. On the ground, that means padded maintenance contracts, ghost repairs, and 'service' budgets used as personal ATMs. Over 55 years after independence, the armed forces have grown richer but not stronger. During the past decade and a half, money has flowed into cantonments and military-run colleges. Outdated platforms – tanks, jets, and vehicles – are snapped up from friendly regimes willing to grease palms. The result is a patronage-heavy bureaucratic-military complex that prioritizes consumption over combat readiness. The famous Al Jazeera documentary 'All the Prime Minister's Men' pulled the curtain back on this system: former Army Chief Gen. Aziz Ahmed allegedly shielded fugitive brothers and ran procurement through fronts. Hasina's security adviser, Maj. Gen. Tarique Ahmed Siddique purportedly turned elite units into personal enforcement squads while steering deals worth thousands of crores. Ex-Air Force Chief Air Marshal Sheikh Abdul Hannan is accused of embezzling roughly 300 million takas ($2.45 million) – nearly a quarter of the service's budget – by bulldozing usable buildings for profit, and laundering funds abroad. These are not random bad apples. This is the orchard. A vicious cycle sustains the same issues that caused the latest fatal crash. Old aircraft break down and require frequent maintenance. Maintenance contracts generate steady streams of cash, ideal for siphoning by senior officials. Bangladesh still flies roughly 40 F-7s long retired elsewhere. Procurement of truly modern aircraft remains sluggish, politicized, and graft-ridden, because a new jet with a warranty doesn't leak money like a 40-year-old airframe. When the state does try to buy big, corruption nests at the top. A 1999 MiG-29 deal – dogged by allegations of bribery involving Hasina – and a naval frigate purchase worth over $100 million in the 1990s are reminders that strategic acquisitions have often doubled as elite enrichment schemes. The Directorate General of Defense Procurement reportedly funnels inflated contracts to military-owned conglomerates like Sena Kalyan Sangstha and the Army Welfare Trust. What began as welfare institutions now sprawl across banking, insurance, real estate, and manufacturing – perfect shells for over-billing and under-delivering. Whistleblowers are not just ignored; they are punished. A Bangladeshi general was recently dismissed after exposing graft in procurement. The culture of impunity devours anyone who threatens the racket. Another quieter allegation haunts the country's strategic credibility: Hasina kept the arsenal mediocre so as not to upset New Delhi and keep the bilateral relations manageable. If true, it means the state is literally trading away the safety of its pilots – and its schoolchildren – to avoid bruising a neighbor's ego. Inside the services, that logic has bred a corrosive ethos. Officers chase land deals, business stakes, and perks; professionalism is an afterthought. In the Air Force, that means pilots strapping into relics held together by bribes and prayers. The price of this degeneracy is often paid by the young: the pilot with everything to prove, the child sitting in a classroom beneath a doomed flight path. Bangladesh does not need another commission of inquiry or another promise to 'review procedures.' It needs a to open the budgetary black box. Start with full parliamentary oversight of defense spending, line-item transparency, and independent external audits for every maintenance contract. Ban single-source procurement, publish tender results, and criminalize undisclosed conflicts of interest. Break the monopoly of military-owned conglomerates over defense deals. Protect whistleblowers with ironclad legal shields – and prosecute the predators, not the messengers. Most of all, the interim government – and whatever elected authority follows – must purge the armed forces of the mafioso hangovers from the Hasina era and build a genuinely professional, nonpartisan military. That means modern hardware bought for performance, not payoffs; it means safety and training prioritized over stipends and shopping malls. None of this is easy, but all of it is necessary. Without real accountability, the next 'technical failure' is foreordained: it just lacks a date and GPS coordinates. Officials will trot out the same limp statements, promise the same 'thorough investigations,' and hope the public moves on. Bangladesh can no longer afford to repeat that cycle.
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
How Dhaka crash of F-7 jet spotlights risks from obsolete Chinese militaryware
Through the 100-hours-long stand-off between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, several military aviation experts praised the performance of Chinese-built fighter jets like J10C and JF-17 used by the Pakistani Air Force (PAF). They were claimed to have scored well against fighter jets pitched by the Indian Air Force, including France's Rafale and Russian Su-30. It even led to a massive jump in the stocks of Chinese jet maker Avic Chengdu Aircraft Co Ltd, up by over 36 per cent in just two days of Operation the recent crash of an F-7BGI fighter jet, flown by the Bangladesh Air Force, has spotlighted how, despite incremental updates, China continues to export outdated, unreliable Soviet-era aircraft to developing countries, compromising safety and watchers claim this tragedy underscores the grave risks of relying on cheap but antiquated Chinese weaponry systems plagued by quality control failures, opacity and corruption, costing not only military lives but also innocent civilians far from any battlefield. Internal reports and anti-corruption probes in China have revealed rampant graft in defence procurement, including 'pay-for-promotion' schemes and compromised maintenance procedures, raising fears that exported platforms, like the F-7, are riddled with invisible risks. Despite global sales, Beijing rarely discloses incidents involving its military equipment, deepening mistrust among client July 21, a Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI fighter jet crashed into Dhaka's Milestone School and College, resulting in the death of 27 people—most of them children—and injuring over 170 others. The tragedy, reportedly caused by catastrophic mechanical failure moments after take-off from Kurmitola airbase, has thrown the nation into mourning and sparked public outrage. Despite the pilot's attempts to steer the failing jet away from densely populated areas, the aircraft slammed into the school, igniting a fire and causing widespread devastation. Hospitals treated dozens of victims for severe burns and trauma. Observers maintain that the F-7 BGI, a Chinese-made fighter jet, is derived from the 1960s-era Soviet MiG-21 and was exported to Bangladesh in the last decade as an affordable solution for air force modernisation. Developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, the F-7 BGI serves as a low-cost, multi-role fighter optimised for the Bangladesh Air Force. It features a double delta wing, modern avionics including multi-function displays and HUD, and carries short-range air-to-air missiles and guided acquired 16 units between 2011 and 2013 for fleet modernisation. The plane's top speed is Mach 2.2, with a payload capacity of up to 3,000 lbs. The F-7 BGI jet is the last and most advanced variant of China's Chengdu J-7/F-7 aircraft series, itself a licenced derivative of the Soviet-era MiG-21 design from the China has incrementally enhanced avionics and weapons systems, the platform remains fundamentally obsolete by modern military aviation standards. Purchased by Bangladesh in 2013 alongside 15 others, this fleet's operational use in routine training flights reveals the hazards of relying on outdated equipment in training environments close to civilian incident is not an isolated one. In June 2025, a Myanmar Air Force J-7 crashed in Pale township under mysterious circumstances, with speculation surrounding technical faults or possible enemy action. In 2022, a J-7 crashed into a residential block in Xiangyang, Hubei province, China, although the pilot successfully ejected before impact. Another incident occurred on June 10 when a Chinese air force Chengdu J-7 crashed into houses during a training mission in central China, killing one person on the ground and injuring two safety concerns surrounding F-7 fighter jets are not limited to China. A PAF F-7PG plane crashed during a routine training flight in 2020, resulting in the death of the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Asim Nawaz. The Bangladesh Air Force has also experienced its share of accidents, including an F-7BG crash in 2018 that killed pilot Arif Ahmed Dipu, and an F-7MB that went missing over the Bay of Bengal in 2015, with the pilot never countries around the world operate Chinese fighter jets, showcasing China's growing influence in the global military aviation market. Pakistan is one of the largest operators, with a fleet of J-10C Vigorous Dragon and JF-17 Thunder multirole combat aircraft. The JF-17 is a China-Pakistan project, with Pakistan operating over 150 of these aircraft. The country has also received 20 J-10Cs, further bolstering its air force is another significant operator of Chinese fighter jets, with around 36 Chengdu J-7s, eight ageing Shenyang J-6s, and some Hongdu JL-8 jet trainers. Zambia has also acquired Chinese-made aircraft, including six Hongdu JL-10s and 10 Shenyang J-6s, which are part of its efforts to modernise its military with affordable and accessible is another country that relies heavily on Chinese fighter jets, operating Nanchang Q-5, Shenyang J-6, and Chengdu J-7 aircraft. North Korea also boasts a significant fleet of Chinese and Soviet-era fighter jets, including Shenyang J-6, Chengdu J-7, and Shenyang F-5 aircraft. Thailand has recently participated in joint exercises with China's air force, highlighting Beijing's expanding military activities in the region. Myanmar has also operated Chinese-made J-7 fighter jets, with one crashing under mysterious circumstances in June aviation experts pointed out that this incident underscores the dangerous dilemma faced by developing countries that turn to budget Chinese arms: the choice between affordability and modern safety is stark, and often the latter is sacrificed, with disastrous consequences. China's military industrial sector is also frequently criticised for its secrecy regarding technical problems and accident records, making it hard for buyers to properly assess the risks associated with their Bangladesh, after the jet tragedy, mass grief has quickly become anger, leading to demands for accountability from defence suppliers and calls to restrict military flights over populated areas. The government has vowed to launch a full investigation and review its procurement to India Today Magazine- Ends
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Bangladesh govt sets up probe panel to investigate Dhaka jet crash
The Bangladesh government has formed a nine-member commission to investigate the tragic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force jet into Milestone School and College in Dhaka's Uttara area on July 21, The Daily Star reported. The commission will be led by former secretary AKM Zafar Ullah Khan and has been asked to submit its report within four weeks, as per a gazette notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Sunday night. The panel includes a retired air vice marshal, three additional secretaries from different ministries, the Dhaka divisional commissioner, an urban planner, and a professor from the mechanical engineering department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). The commission will look into the reasons behind the crash, assess the damage, and find out who was responsible. It will also examine how many people were killed or injured, especially students and teachers, and the extent of the damage caused to the school and nearby buildings. According to the Daily Star, the panel will also review the construction of Milestone School and other structures around the airport. It will study whether these buildings were legally built and whether their locations posed risks due to their proximity to the flying zone. The commission will also recommend measures to prevent such accidents in the future. This includes suggestions on how training aircraft should operate, rules for building structures in flying zones, and how emergency teams should respond to similar disasters. The investigation will be carried out under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1956. The office of the Dhaka divisional commissioner will support the panel in its work. The commission also has the authority to visit any location in the country and question any person as part of the probe, according to The Daily Star. Earlier in the day, a team of 21 doctors and nurses from Singapore, China, and India met Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna. These international medical teams are in Dhaka to treat victims of the plane crash, many of whom are schoolchildren. During the meeting, Professor Yunus thanked the medical teams for their quick support and praised their efforts in helping during a difficult time. "These teams have come not just with their skills, but with their hearts," he said. "Their presence reaffirms our shared humanity and the value of global partnerships in times of tragedy." The foreign teams are working closely with Bangladeshi doctors to provide emergency care and trauma treatment to the injured. At least 34 people, most of them students, died in the crash on July 21. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Arab Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Arab Times
Condolence Book signed at Bangladesh Embassy in Kuwait after Dhaka tragedy
KUWAIT CITY, July 27: On Monday, 21 July 2025, a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft tragically crashed into a school building in the capital, Dhaka. The devastating incident claimed the lives of at least 27 people, most of whom were children, and left 171 others injured, including 21 in critical condition. Considering this national tragedy, the Government of Bangladesh declared 22 July 2025 as a National Mourning Day. As part of the official mourning and in remembrance of the victims, the Embassy of Bangladesh in Kuwait organized an event of signing a Book of Condolences on 27 and 28 July 2025. A significant number of delegates of the state of Kuwait, Diplomatic Missions and International Organizations in Kuwait visited the Embassy to sign the condolence book and expressed their deepest sympathies. Many others, who were unable to attend in person, conveyed their message of condolences electronically via official email of the Embassy. These heartfelt gestures of solidarity reflect the deep friendship and shared humanity among nations. The Embassy is expressing its sincere gratitude to all dignitaries, diplomatic missions, and individuals who extended their condolences during this period of national mourning of Bangladesh.
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First Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
This Week in Explainers: Are Thailand and Cambodia headed towards a war?
Thailand and Cambodia are witnessing their bloodiest military clashes in more than a decade. The fighting over their disputed border has raised fears of an all-out war. All this and more in our weekly roundup from around the globe read more A Cambodian military personnel stands on a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, around 40 km from the disputed Ta Moan Thom temple, after Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery on Friday as their worst fighting in more than a decade stretched for a second day, in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, July 25, 2025. Reuters The world is staring at another conflict. Clashes have erupted between Thailand and Cambodia over their disputed border. As the fighting ensues, the possibility of a war looms large over Southeast Asia. Gaza is witnessing a humanitarian crisis. Severe malnutrition and starvation are claiming several lives, especially of children, in the narrow strip as Israel's war with Hamas continues. After the Air India flight mishap, another plane crash has sent South Asia into mourning. A Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) fighter jet crashed into a school building in Dhaka, killing more than 20 people, mostly schoolchildren, and wounding more than 100 others. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here's all this and more in our weekly wrap of stories around the world. 1. Thailand and Cambodia are witnessing their bloodiest military clashes in over a decade. The two sides exchanged fire on July 24 in an area near the disputed Ta Moan Thom Temple, located in a border area in northwestern Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province. In recent days, clashes have extended to other areas. Both countries have blamed each other for the latest flare-up. Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has warned that 'if the situation escalates, it could develop into war.' Several nations, including India and the United States, have issued travel advisories for their nationals amid the ongoing conflict. We take a look at what is happening. 2. Footage of mothers holding their malnourished children, as well as adults queuing up to get food in Gaza, is haunting the world. Palestinians are facing unimaginable levels of hunger even as Israel relaxed an over two-month blockade on the narrow enclave in West Asia. However, Israeli forces have also killed hundreds of Palestinians trying to get to aid sites and convoys — a charge they deny. According to the UN World Food Program, Gaza's hunger crisis has reached 'new and astonishing levels of desperation.' About one-third of the population is said to be going days without eating. Then, why has a famine not been declared in Gaza? We explain in this story. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 3. At least 27 people died and 100 others were injured after a Bangladesh Air Force fighter aircraft crashed into a school building in Dhaka. The aircraft involved in the crash was an F-7 BGI, a variant of the Chinese J-7 fighter series. Firefighters and army members work next to the wreckage of an air force training aircraft after it crashed into Milestone College campus, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 21, 2025. File Image/Reuters The mishap has brought attention to the safety record of China's F-7 fighter jets. While many countries have started phasing out the jets, Bangladesh continues to operate a fleet of these aircraft. But how safe are the ageing F-7? Here's our report. 4. United States President Donald Trump's friendship with the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, has come to haunt him. Calls are growing in America, including from his Maga supporters, to release the Epstein Files. Reports have recently emerged about Trump's closeness with the disgraced financier. Epstein attended the US president's 1993 wedding to Marla Maples. The revelation comes after claims that Trump sent a racy birthday letter to Epstein in 2003. Were the duo friends? Read our story to know more. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 5. Coldplaygate has grabbed the world's attention these past few days. Recently, a video of Astronomer's then CEO Andy Byron hugging the now-former HR head of the firm, Kristin Cabot, at a Coldplay concert went viral. Caught on 'kisscam', the duo – both married to other people – became fodder for gossip around the world. As the attention turned to the pair, it came to light that Kristin is married into the wealthy Cabot family, who are in the 'Boston Brahmins'. But who are these 'Boston Brahmins'? We explain here. 6. The 'Gen Z stare' has got millennials rattled. The phrase is being used for a blank, expressionless stare from Gen Z employees to their managers and employers. TikTok users are talking about this. To know more, read our story. In personal life, Gen Z is facing a problem with sex, in what has been dubbed the 'sex recession'. While they are interested in sex, they are hardly getting any. But why? We take a look here. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is all we have for you this week. If you like our explainers, you can bookmark this page. PS. Don't know if your Labubu doll is fake? Here's how to find out.
