Catholic bishops urge government support after Bangladesh plane crash
Flowers and offerings are placed at the grave of Ukya Chhaing Marma. The seventh-grader died from his wounds after being rescued from a July 21, 2025, plane crash at his Dhaka school. / Credit: Piyas Biswas
Dhaka, Bangladesh, Jul 30, 2025 / 14:39 pm (CNA).
As parents grieve the loss of their children, the Catholic bishops of Bangladesh have urged the government to fully support victims and families following the July 21 crash of an air force training jet into a local school that killed at least 35 and injured over 170 people, most of them children.
Bishop Ponen Paul Kubi, secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh, told EWTN News the incident is “deeply saddening for us and a great loss for our country, as we have lost many from our future generation. We have requested prayers in our churches, because prayer is our source of strength and comfort.”
The parents of Ukya Chhaing Marma, a 14-year-old who died after a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into his school on July 21, hold his photo at the family's house in Bandarban, Bangladesh, July 26, 2025. Credit: Piyas Biswas
Pope Leo XIV sent his condolences as families grapple with the loss of loved ones after a F-7 BGI fighter jet took off from Kurmitola Air Base for a routine training mission and developed a technical malfunction shortly after takeoff. The pilot, who was on his first solo flight, attempted an emergency maneuver to avoid populated areas but the aircraft crashed into the two-story Milestone School and College in the Uttara area of Dhaka. The crash sparked a fire that engulfed parts of the school building.
In a telegram sent on July 22, Pope Leo expressed that he was “deeply saddened” by the devastating loss of life, particularly the children who were caught in the sudden disaster.
The message, delivered by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, stated that the Holy Father “entrusts the deceased to the merciful love of the Almighty” and prayed “that their families and friends may be consoled in their grief, and for the healing and comfort of the injured.” He also invoked “divine blessings of peace and strength” upon the entire school community and all those affected.
One of the victims of the crash was 14-year-old Ukya Chhaing Marma, a seventh-grade student at Milestone School who lived in a campus hostel. He loved playing the guitar and riding his bicycle. His parents, both schoolteachers living in Bandarban, 325 kilometers (about 200 miles) from Dhaka, had sent him to the capital for a better education. Ukya was their only child.
Photos of Ukya Chhaing Marma on display at his family's house in Bandarban, Bangladesh, July 26, 2025. The 14-year-old died after a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into his school on July 21. Credit: Piyas Biswas
Shortly after the crash, the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence rescued him from the spot. He was rushed to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in critical condition, suffering burns over 100% of his body. Despite all efforts, he died around 2 a.m.
Ukya’s father, Usai Mong Marma, said: “My son was very talented and dreamed of becoming an engineer. As his father, I feel helpless; I couldn’t do anything for him.” His mother, Daisy Prue Marma, tearfully added: “As a mother, I just pray no other mother ever has to feel the emptiness I carry in my heart.”
This tragic event, one of the worst air disasters in Dhaka in recent memory, has triggered a wave of national mourning and renewed calls from civil society for accountability and improved safety measures in military training missions.
Father Biswajit Bernard Bormon, priest of St. Joseph’s Church in Dharenda, Savar, said: “We held a special Mass in our church dedicated to the victims of the Milestone tragedy. At the beginning of the Mass, we observed a one-minute silence, praying for the eternal rest of those who lost their lives and for the recovery of those who are injured. In addition, we are praying for them daily during our rosary prayers.”
Following the crash, the government declared July 22 a national day of mourning, calling for special prayers across the country.
“I express my deep grief and sorrow over the heartbreaking loss of lives caused by the crash,” interim leader Muhammad Yunus wrote in a post on X. “This is a moment of profound pain for the nation. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured and have instructed all relevant authorities, including hospitals, to respond to the situation with the highest priority.”