Staff Reporter :At least seven persons were killed and several others injured in lightning hailstorm strikes in five districts on Wednesday amid thunderstorms. Alongside some other parts, the residents of Dhaka city also experienced a sudden nor’wester (Kalboishakhi) with thunderstorms and torrential rain. The sudden downpour caused traffic congestions at many key points in the city.In Rajbari, three farmers were killed as lightning struck them in three upazilas of the district in the morning. Police said, Zakir Hossain, a farmer and son of Habi Sheikh from Debgram union under Goalanda upazila, was killed when he was working in a paddy field amid rain. Besides, Murad Sheikh from Natunchar village under Baliakandi upazila and Kurman Mandal from Bohorkalukhali village under Kalikhali upazila were killed in separate incidents of lightning during the heavy rain.In Sunamganj, Md Shahidullah, son of Jaha Alam from Nutanhati village under Tahirpur upazila, was killed when he was swimming in the river, said Tahirpur Thana OC Md Shahidullah.In Chandpur, a farmer was killed and six other school students were injured at Charbhanga village in Haimchar upazila. The deceased was identified as Abdur Rahim, 40. Haimchar Thana OC Maniruzaman said that two of the injured students were admitted to Haimchar upazila health complex while four others were given first aid.In Narayanganj, Kawsar, 25, a dredger worker and a resident of Fatullah, was killed at the Fatullah Launch Ghat area on the Buriganga River.In Gopalganj, Nuru Mollah, 60, Muazzin of mosque, was killed at Basabati Gopinathpur village in sadar upazila in the morning, said SI Idris Ali of Gopinathpur police investigation centre. The ferry services between Shimulia in Munshiganj and Kawrakandi in Madaripur along the Padma River were stopped for several hours due to large waves in the river during the thunderstorm. Two ferries were forced to lie at anchor in the mid river. Assistant General Manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority of Mawa Chandra Shekhor Roy said that the ferry services would resume when the situation would be normal.
