Maherin Chowdhury
Bangladeshi teacher (1978/1979 – 2025)
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Maherin Chowdhury (Bengali: মাহেরিন চৌধুরী; 1978/1979 – 21 July 2025) was a Bangladeshi school teacher who died in the 2025 Dhaka Chengdu J-7 crash.[1][2] She is best remembered for her efforts of saving at least 20 children from burning, while engulfed in flames.[3][4]
Maherin Chowdhury | |
|---|---|
মাহেরিন চৌধুরী | |
| Born | 1978 or 1979 |
| Died | 22 July 2025 (aged 46–47) Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Cause of death | Extensive burn injuries |
| Occupation | Teacher |
| Employer | Milestone School |
| Known for | Her efforts to save the children from the fire in the 2025 Dhaka Chengdu J-7 crash |
| Relatives | Ziaur Rahman (uncle) Khaleda Zia (aunt) Tarique Rahman (cousin) |
| Family | Zia family |
| Awards |  Independence Award (2026) |
Early life and career
Chowdhury was born in Jaldhaka now part of Rangpur Division in Bangladesh. She was a member of Zia family and niece of former Bangladeshi President Ziaur Rahman. Her grandmother and Ziaur Rahman's mother were siblings.[5][6] She worked as an English teacher and the coordinator of the Bengali medium of the classes III to V of the Milestone College since 2003.[7][6]
Jet crash and death
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]
Recognition
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]