Fighter Pilot Dies Attempting ‘Top Gun’-like Stunt in Bangladesh

Avoidable Tragedy

A tragic fighter jet crash in Bangladesh on May 9 claimed the life of Commander Muhammad Asim Jawad, 32, during a daring maneuver reminiscent of “Top Gun.” The incident gained global attention after CCTV footage of the failed stunt was posted on YouTube on May 14.

Commander Jawad, piloting a Yakovlev Yak-130, attempted a risky low-altitude triple-barrel roll in Chattogram. The maneuver went wrong when the jet’s wings scraped the runway, igniting sparks and smoke. Despite efforts to regain control, the aircraft succumbed to gravity.

In a desperate bid for survival, both Commander Jawad and his co-pilot, Sohan Hasan Khan, were forced to eject from the jet, landing in a nearby river.

The Bangladesh Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) later cited mechanical failure as the cause of the crash. The nation mourns the loss of one of its bravest pilots, reflecting on the fine line between bravery and disaster in aviation.