Maherin Chowdhury

On 21 July 2025 at 13:18 BST (UTC+6), while she was at the school and classes were in session, an F-7BGI fighter jet of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed into the Milestone College's Haider Hall canteen. Chowdhury, though her body and clothes had caught fire, went back into a burning classroom repeatedly to rescue the students. She helped at least 20 children to get out from the building.^[8] While helping, 80-100% of her body got burned. She was admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, where she died of her injuries in the same day at around 19:30 BST.^[9][10][11] During the treatment, when asked by her husband Mansur Helal about her efforts, she replied: "they are also my children, they are burning. How can I leave them?"^[6][8]

She was buried at her hometown Jaldhaka, Nilphamari, beside her parents' grave.^[12][7]

Chowdhury's efforts received global recognition. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised her efforts and called for her "bravery and sacrifice" to be remembered.^[13][14]

The government gave Chowdhury, along with another teacher who died the incident, a state honour.^[15][16] The Ministry of Education decided to give a national award annually in honour of her, named "Maherin Chowdhury Award for Extraordinary Services", recognising teachers who perform works of bravery.^[17][18][19] In 2026, she was posthumously awarded Independence Award, the highest civilian honour of Bangladesh.^[20][21]