UNB :
At least five people died and seven others were injured by lightning strikes in Bagerhat, Chuadanga and Cumilla districts on Saturday.
In Bagerhat, two labourers died and six others were injured by a lightning strike at Rayenda Bandaghata in Sarankhola upazila.
The deceased were identified as Milon, 35 of Morrelganj upazila, and Mostafa, 55, son of Ayub Ali of Pirojpur district.
A streak of thunderbolts struck some labourers around 10:30 am when they were loading bricks and sand in a cargo in Bandhaghat area during rain, leaving two people dead on the spot and six others injured, said AHM Kamruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Sharankhola Police Station. The Injured were taken to the Upazila Health Complex for treatment, he said.
In Chuadanga, two farmers died and another was injured, after lightning struck them in separate places of Damurhuda and Darshana upazilas.
The deceased were Ahmed Mallik, 65, son of late Kheder Mallik of Patachora village of Damurhuda upazila, and Rubel, 28, son of Abdul Malek of Jhajri village of Darshana upazila and the injured is Tunu Khatun, 30, wife of Milon of Gobindahuda village of the same upazila.
Adbul Malik was working in the field around 9 am. When a thunderstorm started, he was seriously injured by lightning on his way home from the field. Later, locals rescued him and took him to Damurhuda Upazila Health Complex, where the duty doctor declared him dead. Meanwhile, Rubel was hit by a lightning strike and died on the spot, and Tunu Khatu was injured in her courtyard while working and lost consciousness.
Alamgir Kobir, officer-in-charge (OC) of Damurhuda Model Police Station and Mohammad Shariful Islam, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Darshana Police Station confirmed the matters.
In Cumilla, a 13-year-old boy died in a lightning strike while playing football in a field near his house in Muradnagar upazila around 9:30 am.
The deceased was identified as Siam, son of Md Humayun Mia of Muradnagar upazila.
Muradnagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Provash Chandra Dhar said, “We are investigating the matter.