Maherin Chowdhury

Maherin Chowdhury
মাহেরিন চৌধুরী
Born1978 or 1979
Jaldhaka, Nilphamari, Rangpur Division, Bangladesh
Died22 July 2025(2025-07-22) (aged 46–47)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Cause of death
Extensive burn injuries
OccupationTeacher
EmployerMilestone School
Known forHer efforts to save the children from the fire in the 2025 Dhaka Chengdu J-7 crash
RelativesZiaur Rahman (uncle)
Khaleda Zia (aunt)
Tarique Rahman (cousin)
FamilyZia family
AwardsIndependence Award (2026)

Maherin Chowdhury (Bengali: মাহেরিন চৌধুরী; 1978/1979 – 21 July 2025) was a Bangladeshi schoolteacher 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]

Early life and career

Chowdhury was born in Jaldhaka, now part of Rangpur Division in Bangladesh. She was a member of the 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 on 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 in the incident, a state honour.[15][16] The Ministry of Education decided to give a national award annually in honour of her, named the "Maherin Chowdhury Award for Extraordinary Services", recognising teachers who perform works of bravery.[17][18][19] In 2026, she was posthumously awarded the Independence Award, the highest civilian honour of Bangladesh.[20][21]

References

  1. ↑ "Teacher dies saving students from inferno in Bangladesh jet crash". Reuters. 23 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  2. ↑ "Maherin Chowdhury: A hero who sacrificed her own life to save students". Prothom Alo. 22 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  3. ↑ "'They are also my children': Dhaka teacher died saving students after fighter jet hit school; hailed as hero". The Times of India. 23 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  4. ↑ "Teacher dies saving students from Bangladesh jet crash inferno". ABC News. 23 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  5. ↑ "Maherin Chowdhury: The teacher who stood between her students and death". Daily Sun. 22 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 সেই শিক্ষক মাহরিন শহীদ প্রেসিডেন্ট জিয়াউর রহমানের ভাতিজি. Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 23 July 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Dhaka plane crash: Milestone teacher Mahrin laid to rest". Somoy News. 22 July 2025.
  8. 1 2 "Teacher dies saving students from inferno in Bangladesh jet crash". The Straits Times. 2025-07-23. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  9. ↑ "Teacher Maherin fights for life in ICU after saving dozens of students". Jago News 24. 21 July 2025.
  10. ↑ "What to know about the Bangladesh air force jet crash into a Dhaka school". Associated Press. 22 July 2025.
  11. ↑ "Milestone teacher, who rescued students after jet crash at school, dies from 100% burns". The Business Standard. 22 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  12. ↑ "Farewell to a heroic teacher who died while trying to save students in Dhaka jet crash". Asia News Network. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  13. ↑ "Malaysian PM expresses solidarity with Milestone jet crash victims". BSS. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  14. ↑ "Malaysian PM expresses solidarity with Milestone plane crash victims in Bangladesh". The Business Standard. 24 July 2025.
  15. ↑ "2 Milestone teachers, who died trying to save students, to be given state honour: Govt". The Business Standard. 24 July 2025.
  16. ↑ "State to honour two teachers killed in Milestone jet crash". The Daily Star. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  17. ↑ মাইলস্টোন শিক্ষক মেহরিন চৌধুরীর নামে অ্যাওয়ার্ড চালু করবে শিক্ষা মন্ত্রণালয়. Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 7 August 2025.
  18. ↑ "মাইলস্টোনের শিক্ষিকা মাহরীন চৌধুরীর নামে চালু হচ্ছে জাতীয় পুরস্কার". Ajker Patrika (in Bengali). 12 August 2025. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  19. ↑ শিক্ষিকা মাহেরীন চৌধুরীর নামে চালু হবে জাতীয় পুরস্কার. Dhaka Tribune (in Bengali). Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  20. ↑ "Maherin Chowdhury, late teacher who saved 20 students after Milestone plane crash, to get Independence Award". bdnews24.com. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  21. ↑ "Khaleda Zia, 14 individuals and 5 institutions to receive Independence Award". Prothom Alo. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
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