Lightning claims 12 lives

At least 12 people have been killed and a dozen others suffered injuries in separate incidents of lightning strikes across six districts.

The fatalities were reported from Sunamganj, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Netrokona, Kishoreganj, and Habiganj as pre-monsoon storms swept through parts of the country on Saturday.

Sunamganj: Highest Toll in the Haors
Sunamganj recorded the highest number of casualties, with five deaths and four injuries reported across four Upazilas.

Most victims were harvesting paddy around 12:30pm.
The dead are Nuruzzaman of Jamalganj, Habibur Rahman of Dharmapasha, Rahmat Ullah of Dharmapasha, Liton Mia, a farmer from Derai, and Abul Kalam, also known as Kala Mia of Tahirpur, reports bdnews24.com.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Md Matiur Rahman said the incidents occurred in Pagna, Togar, and Kaliagota Haors.

Rangpur: Fatalities At a Fish Pond
In Rangpur’s Mithapukur, two people died and at least eight others were injured near a pond in Sakhipur around noon.

The victims were identified as Milon Mia, 35, and Abu Taleb, 65.
According to witnesses, the strike occurred while some were catching fish and others were resting in a shed by the pond.

Several of the injured were sent to Rangpur Medical College Hospital in critical condition.
Mymensingh: Deaths in Fields and Paths

In Mymensingh, two men lost their lives in Gouripur and Gafargaon.
Rahmat Ali Ujjal, 30, a grocer, died while visiting his brother-in-law’s paddy field in Gouripur.
Momtaz Ali Khan, 58, was struck while returning home after Zuhr prayers in Gafargaon.
Netrokona, Kishoreganj, and Habiganj

Single fatalities were reported from the three districts.
Altu Mia, 65, was killed while cutting grass for his cattle in the Meshi Haor of Atpara Upazila in Netrokona.

Farm labourer Helal Mia, 38, died during paddy harvesting in the Bor Haor of Karimganj Upazila in Kishoreganj.

Sunam Uddin, 60, a farmer, was fatally struck while harvesting paddy in the Momina Haor along the Bibiyana River in Habiganj.