Staff Reporter :
Lightning killed at least 12 people and injured many others in Sunamganj, Tangail, Manikganj and Kishoreganj districts on Tuesday morning.
The lightning began striking early morning and continued till 10am. The lightning strikes are relatively common in Bangladesh during the June-October monsoon, which hit the country’s different districts earlier, but this year’s toll is particularly high.
In Sunamganj, at least six people were killed and six others injured in Sulla and Derai upazilas of the district when they were fishing in two separate haors (wetland).
The deceased were identified as Shamim, son of Konai Miah, and Tafu Miah, son of Hashim of village Matiapur and Sharman Hossain of village Tuk Deari under Karimpur union in Derai upazila.
Hridoy Miah, son of Abdus Salam, Mohammad Imon, son of Akkas Ahmed, and Mohammad Shainal ,son of Abu Haider of village Shihali in Sulla upazila also met the tragic end of their lives.
According to locals and police, when Shamim and Tafu along with eight others were fishing at Chapati haor adjacent to their village Matiapur lightning struck them killing two of them on the spot and injuring five others.
“At the same time, Sharman Hossain was killed by thunderbolt at Tuk Derai village on Tuesday morning,” Abdul Jalil, officer-in-charge of Derai police station told The New Nation on Tuesday afternoon.
Hridoy Miah, Mohammad Imon and Mohammad Shainal met the tragic end of their lives while fishing at Patamara Haor, Bazlur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Sulla police station said.
In Tangail, three people of a tribal family were killed and another was injured by thunderbolt at Magontinagar village under Madhupur upazila of the district on Tuesday morning.
They were identified as Nikhil Hajong, 45, and his two sons Jaj Simsung,12, and Luton Simsung, 8.
Talking to journalists, Officer-in-Charge of Madhupur Thana Safikul Islam said that they died on the spot when lightning struck them as they were sleeping in their house at about 8:30pm.
In Kishoreganj, lightning killed a mother and her son at village Purbachar under Guzadia Union of Karimganj upazila on Tuesday morning.
The deceased mother Lolita Begum along with her son and daughter were staying at their house during the incident.
However, Lolita’s daughter Rima, 17, narrowly escaped the horrific lightning, but she received serious burn injuries. The girl was admitted to the upazila health complex. Her condition is stated to be critical.
In another incident, lightning struck Maijuddin Sheikh, 50, son of Nadhu Sheikh of Railla village under Saturia upazila in Manikganj district when he was working in his cowshed. He died on the spot.
