At least seven people, including farmers and schoolchildren, were killed in separate lightning strikes in Kishoreganj and Cumilla districts on Monday, April 28.
Kishoreganj tragedy: Three dead
In Kishoreganj, three individuals lost their lives in separate incidents in Austagram and Mithamain upazilas.
The dead have been identified as Phulesha Begum, 65, Indrajit Das, 36, and Swadhin Mia, 14.
Phulesha Begum, a resident of Keowarjor village in Mithamain’s Raniganj area, died on the spot when lightning struck while she was drying rice straw in a field near her home around 8:30 AM, said Sub-Inspector Arpan Biswas of Mithamain Police Station.
Later around 10:00 AM, Indrajit Das of Halalpur village and Swadhin Mia of Khoyerpur village in Austagram upazila were struck by lightning while harvesting paddy in local haor areas, confirmed Ruhul Amin, Officer-in-Charge of Austagram Police Station.
Cumilla lightning strikes: Four killed
Meanwhile, four people were killed in Cumilla district due to lightning strikes in separate incidents in Barura and Muradnagar upazilas.
In Barura’s Payalgacha village under Khoshbas union, two sixth-grade students — Fahad Hossain, 13, and Saimon Hossain, 13, — died while flying kites around 11:30 AM, despite overcast conditions. Both were students of Baraharipur High School.
Witnesses said the lightning struck suddenly, leaving the boys fatally injured. They were rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared them dead.
The matter was confirmed by Barura Upazila Nirbahi Officer Nu Aung Marma Mong.
In Muradnagar upazila, two farmers — Nikhil Chandra Debnath of Korbanpur village and Jewel Bhuiyan of Deora village — were killed by lightning while working in the fields near Korbanpur graveyard around 11:30 AM. Three others were injured and reportedly lost their hearing due to the strike.
The incident was confirmed by Bangra Bazar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mahfuzur Rahman.
Authorities have handed over the victims’ bodies to their respective families.
