Maherin Chowdhury, a teacher and coordinator at Milestone School and College’s Diabari campus, died after rescuing students from a burning school building struck by a Bangladesh Air Force jet on July 21. As flames engulfed the primary section of the school following the crash, Maherin reportedly helped evacuate at least 20 children to safety before she herself was overcome by the fire.
Witnesses and family members shared that Maherin sustained 100% burns while trying to protect her students. She was rushed to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS), where doctors attempted to save her, but she passed away later that night. She was 44 years old. Her final act of care and courage has been widely recognized as a testament to the quiet heroism educators show every day.
Her funeral was held in two parts, first in Uttara early the following morning, and then in her home village of Bogulagari, Nilphamari, where she was laid to rest beside her parents. Her brother, Munaf Mojib Chowdhury, confirmed the details in a public statement and requested prayers for his sister.
The crash killed at least 27 people, most of them children, and injured more than 170 others. In the midst of this preventable tragedy, Maherin Chowdhury’s bravery stands as a devastating reminder of who bears the cost when institutions fail to protect the most vulnerable.
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