Deadly jet crash exposes defence deal scandals
Abu Jakir :
A devastating military aircraft crash at a Dhaka school has reignited public concern over longstanding governance and corruption issues within Bangladesh’s defence sector, which critics claim was deeply compromised under the previous Sheikh Hasina administration.
On Monday, a Chinese-built FT-7BGI fighter jet, engaged in a routine training exercise, crashed into Milestone School and College in Uttara, killing more than 30 people, including schoolchildren and teachers. The jet reportedly lost control mid-air before plummeting into the busy academic campus, marking one of the deadliest peacetime military aviation disasters in the country’s history.
The incident has sparked an outpouring of grief and a wave of public outrage. As families held funerals and emergency services continued rescue operations, social media platforms were flooded with demands for transparency, accountability, and systemic reform within the armed forces.
“This is not merely a technical failure – it reflects a deeper institutional breakdown,” said a retired Air Force colonel, speaking on condition of anonymity. “That failure stems from political leadership that treated the defence establishment as a personal enterprise.”
Corruption allegations within the military procurement system have been circulating for years, but analysts argue that under Sheikh Hasina’s tenure – widely criticised for centralising power and restricting transparency – such practices became widespread and entrenched.
Observers point to the entanglement of military deals with political patronage networks involving key figures, including Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana and her former defence adviser, Major General (Retd.) Tarique Ahmed Siddique. Several procurement deals struck during the Awami League government have come under renewed scrutiny in the wake of the Uttara crash.
A notable example is the controversial purchase of eight MiG-29 jets from Russia in 1999, during Hasina’s first term as Prime Minister. The deal, valued at Tk700 crore, was criticised for inflated costs and suspected kickbacks. Similar concerns emerged during Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s 2004-2006 term, when the cost of acquiring 16 F-7 aircraft from China ballooned from $93.6 million to $117.9 million.
Further allegations followed a $1 billion deal for Russian Yak-130 training aircraft in 2015-2016 and the acquisition of K-8W Karakorum jets. Reports indicated that politically connected intermediaries played key roles in securing these contracts.
In what many describe as one of the most troubling episodes, the government reportedly considered acquiring Su-30SME fighter jets between 2017 and 2019. Originally priced at $60 million each, the cost later doubled to $120 million. Amid public criticism and suspicions of bribery, the deal was ultimately abandoned.
Although the Awami League government was removed from office in a military-backed transition in July 2024, concerns about defence-sector corruption remain. Air Chief Marshal Abdul Hannan, appointed under Hasina’s administration, is currently under investigation for alleged embezzlement amounting to Tk3,000 crore. Authorities have frozen 38 bank accounts associated with him and imposed a travel ban.
Earlier in May, a Yak-130 crash further exposed internal dysfunction. A subsequent inquiry revealed falsified maintenance records and fabricated safety documentation. While some officers faced disciplinary action, critics argue that meaningful structural reforms remain elusive.
The Government Defence Integrity Index 2020, published by Transparency International and released in 2021, classified Bangladesh’s defence sector as posing “very high” corruption risks. The report cited poor civilian oversight, non-transparent procurement practices, and inadequate internal controls.
“The defence sector in Bangladesh remains one of the least accountable public institutions,” said Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh. “While the index does not assert that corruption is endemic, it highlights the significant institutional vulnerabilities.”
He underscored the need for a comprehensive Defence Integrity Strategy, aligned with the National Integrity Strategy adopted in 2010, to restore public trust and enhance accountability. “Political leaders, civil society, and the media must collectively push for systemic reform.”
However, governance experts argue that the root issue lies in the politicisation of military leadership. “Unless appointments to top defence roles are depoliticised and subjected to oversight, sustainable reform will remain out of reach,” said a former senior civil servant. “Until that changes, public safety will continue to be compromised.”