Dhaka, July 22 -- After a deadly school crash involving an F-7 BGI, Bangladesh Air Force chief has brushed aside safety concerns, calling online speculation "rumours" and defending the jet's performance record.

Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan said the jets in service may be old, but none have exceeded their operational lifetime, and maintenance is carried out "without compromise".

"Aircraft don't age that easily. Each has a defined lifespan, which in the case of these jets is around 30 years," he said at BAF Base Bashar in Kurmitola, following the funeral parade of Flight Lieutenant Towkir Islam, the pilot killed in the crash, bdnews24.com reports.

"One decade or two doesn't make much difference -- the key question is whether we'r...