Staff Reporter:
Eight people were killed and two others injured by lightning strikes in Cumilla, Bogura, Kurigram and Jhenaidah districts on Sunday.
Among the deceased, three died in Cumilla, two in Jhenaidah, another two in Kurigram and one in Bogura district.
In Cumilla, three people including a student of Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU) were killed in a single lightning strike in Bhabanipur Kheyaghat of Homan upazila on Sunday afternoon.
The deceased were identified as BAU student Rashedul Islam, 23, son of Rahinur Islam, and two sisters Mamtaz Begum, 37, and Zakia Sultana, 23, both daughters of Matiur Rahman. They were all residents of Nala Dakkhin village in the upazila.
A thunderbolt struck the deceased and two others when they were waiting to cross a canal in Bhabanipur Kheya ghat area in the afternoon, leaving the sisters dead on the spot, said officer-in-charge of Homna Police Station Rafiqul Islam.
The injured Rashedul, Samad Mia and Babul Mia—were taken to Homna Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared Rashedul dead.
In Jhenaidah, two farmers were killed by lightning strikes in Sadar and Shailkupa upazilas on Sunday.
In Sadar upazila, Shimul Biswas, 30, a farmer of Armukhi village and son of Shamser Biswas, was killed when a thunderbolt struck him while working at his field around 11am.
Besides, Harmat Sheikh, 55, a farmer of Shekhar village in Shailkupa upazila, was killed when a thun-derbolt struck him at his field in the morning.
Additional superintendent of Jhenaidah Police Imran Zakaria confirmed two people died by lightning strikes in Sadar and Shailkupa upazilas amid inclement weather.
In Kurigram, two people including a Madrasa student were killed by lightning in Nageshwari upazila.
Babul Mia, a Madrasha student and son of Nur Hossain of Kalikapur village, was killed when the thun-derbolt struck him while he was returning home in the upazila.
In another incident, Sahibor, son of Abul Kashem of Char Luchni village under Bamondanga union, was killed when a thunderbolt struck him while he was collecting grass around 10am, said Rezaul Karim, officer-in-charge of Nageshwari Police Station.
In Bogura, a 45-year-old housewife was killed by lightning at Madhyamacheo village in Gabtoli upazila of the district.
The deceased was identified as Shefali Begum, wife of Delwar Pramanik.
Shefali died on the spot after being hit by the lightning strike while cutting grass amid rain, said Serajul Islam, officer-in-charge of Gabtoli Police Station.
