At least 12 people were killed, and two others injured by lightning strikes in Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Lalmonirhat, Sirajganj and Keraniganj districts Friday, police said.
The number is the year’s highest single-day death toll caused by lightning strikes, the last addition to the government’s list of natural disasters in Bangladesh.
In Mymensingh, six people, including three children, were killed as they were struck by lightning in different parts of the district.
Sayed Mian, 12, Swadhin, 11, and Shaon,7, of Kankarhati village in Nandail upazila died while playing football as a thunderbolt struck them down.
Also, two fishermen were killed in a lightning strike while they were fishing on a nearby waterbody in Balapara, Mymensingh Sadar.
The deceased were identified as Abu Bakkar, 40, and Jahangir Alam, 32, of the area, said Shah Kamal Akand, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Model Police Station.
Abu Sayed, 30, was injured by a lightning strike while fishing at Ghogra Beel in Dhobaura upazila during rain.
He died while being rushed to Dhobaura Upazila Health Complex, said Tipu Sultan, officer-in-charge of Dhobaura Police Station.
In Sirajganj, a businessman was killed and two workers injured when a thunderbolt struck them down in River Jamuna River in Sadar upazila.
“The deceased was identified as Razzak Munshi, 50, from Katangar Char, Sadar upazila. The injured are Saiful, 28, and Shamim, 32, of Ekdala area of the upazila,” Mohammad Nazrul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar Police Station, said.
In Keraniganj, a teenage boy was killed after being hit by lightning while playing football in the Rohitpur area.
The deceased was identified as Sajib Sarker, 18, of the area, said Abu Salam Miah, officer-in-charge of Keraniganj Model Police Station.
In Lalmonirhat, Abdul Motin, 52, a fisherman from Hatibandha upazila was killed after being hit by lightning while fishing, said Abul Hashem Talukder, chairman of Saniajan union of the upazila.
In Bogura, a farmer was killed after being hit by lightning while working in his paddy field.
The deceased was identified as Tojbel Hossain, 70, from Elangi union of Dhunat upazila, Tojammel Haque, chairman of Elangi Union Parishad, said.
In Sherpur, a 35-year-old man was killed after being struck by lightning in Nakla upazila in the early hours of Friday, police said.
The deceased was identified as Showkat Ali of the area. He was an office assistant at Kayda Uttar Government Primary school.
According to family sources, Showkat along with his younger brother Mehedi Hasan went to repair pond edges to stop the fishes in the body of water from getting washed away. At that time, Shawkat was struck by lightning.
He was declared dead after being rushed to Upazila Health Complex, said Mohammad Mushfiqur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Nakla Police Station.
In Jamalpur, a 15-year-old boy died after being struck by lightning in Sarishabari upazila while catching fish.
Shakil, a ninth-grader, was declared dead after being rushed to the hospital, Dr Debasish Rajbongshi, resident medical officer of Sarishabari Upazila Health Complex, said.
Source: United News of Bangladesh