Mahreen Chowdhury, who tried to save students during Uttara jet crash, dies in ICU after sustaining 100% burns 

Mahreen Chowdhury, the coordinator of Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka, succumbed to her injuries after sustaining severe burns in the tragic aircraft crash that occurred on the school campus. The incident took place on Monday when a Bangladesh Air Force FT-7BGI training jet crashed directly into the campus during school hours. In her final hours, Mahreen spoke to her husband from her hospital bed, recounting the harrowing details of the crash and her desperate attempts to save the children.

Mahreen, aged 42, was critically injured in a second explosion that followed the crash. Despite her burns, she managed to guide some students to safety before collapsing. She was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Burn Unit at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where she was later placed on life support.

Her husband, Monsoor Helal, spoke to reporters on Tuesday and shared the final conversation he had with his wife. He described how the aircraft crashed directly into the path where students were expected to exit the building. According to Mahreen, the jet exploded and burst into flames immediately after the crash, entering the campus premises in a matter of seconds.

“She told me that children were burning alive in front of her eyes,” Helal said. “I asked her in the ICU, why did you risk your life like that? And she replied, ‘How could I watch my children die in front of me?’ She managed to get some of them out and was trying to rescue more when the second explosion occurred.”

Helal recalled the moment she asked him to hold her right hand, even though her body was completely burned. “She said, ‘You won’t see me again.’ Then she told me, ‘Look after our children.’ I told her she was leaving them orphaned. She replied, ‘They’re also my children—how could I just stand and watch them burn?’”

Mahreen passed away later that night. According to Dr. Shawon Bin Rahman, the resident surgeon at the DMCH Burn Unit, she suffered 100% burns to her body, leaving no chance of survival.

The crash, which occurred at 1:18 PM on Monday, involved a Bangladesh Air Force FT-7BGI fighter training aircraft. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the jet had taken off at 1:06 PM and crashed only 12 minutes later into the campus of Milestone School and College. The aircraft caught fire upon impact, resulting in a massive blaze.

As of the latest update, the death toll from the crash has risen to 31, including Mahreen Chowdhury and the pilot of the aircraft. The ISPR confirmed the casualties in a formal statement issued after the incident.

Mahreen’s bravery in the face of certain death has drawn widespread attention and praise across the country. Friends, colleagues, and social media users have mourned her passing, remembering her as a dedicated educator and a compassionate human being who put others' lives before her own. Her final words reflect a profound sense of duty and love for the children she taught and protected until her last breath.