The Chinese-made Chengdu F-7 fighter jets have become a liability for Bangladesh largely due to their outdated design, recurring technical malfunctions, and safety concerns.

The recent tragic crash on July 21, 2025, of a Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) F-7 BGI fighter jet into the crowded Milestone School and College in Dhaka, which killed 27 people and injured over 170, underscores these issues.

The crash occurred minutes after take-off due to a technical malfunction, with the pilot on his first solo mission struggling unsuccessfully to divert the jet away from densely populated areas.

The F-7 BGI jets are upgraded versions of China’s Chengdu F-7, which itself is a reverse-engineered variant of the Soviet-era MiG-21, a model whose production ended in 2013 after over 40 years of service. Bangladesh received the last batch of these aircraft in 2013, but the aircraft’s design remains largely an ageing platform by modern standards.

The reliance on Chinese-made F-7 aircraft stems from cost-effectiveness and availability for pilot training and light combat missions, but their ageing mechanical systems and recurrent accidents have put the fleet under scrutiny.

Over the last two decades, seven out of eleven recorded aircraft crashes in Bangladesh’s air force involved Chinese planes, including the F-7 family, which suggests persistent safety challenges.

Additional factors compounding the risk include the urban encroachment around airbases and flight paths, such as in Dhaka’s densely populated Uttara area where the crash occurred, violating recommended obstacle-free zones essential for safe landing and take-off.

The F-7 jets have become a liability for Bangladesh because their ageing and mechanically unreliable nature, combined with unsafe urban flight conditions, have repeatedly endangered lives, raising urgent calls for fleet modernization and enhanced safety protocols.

Based On ET News Report