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.
//Earlier on Thursday, the officials concerned said at least 74 people were killed by lightning strikes over the last 38 days, including 43 people alone in the past eight days across the country.
Of the total dead, 35 were farmers, according to the report prepared by voluntary organisation Save the Society and Thunderstorm Awareness Forum (SSTAF).
According to SSTAF report, 31 people were killed by lightning strikes in the month of April with 20 males and 11 female.
This month, 43 people were killed by lightning till May 8. Of them, 34 were male and nine female. In a single day in this month 11 people died and nine people were injured, said the report of the SSTAF research cell.
Besides, the members of the organisation also highlighted how farmers can keep themselves safe in case of lightning.
