Staff Correspondent:
At least 74 people, including 35 farmers, were killed in lightning strikes over the last 38 days across the country. Save the Society and Thunderstorm Awareness Forum (SSTF), the voluntary organisation, at a report on Thursday said 31 people were killed in lightning strikes in the month of April. Of them, 20 were male and 11 female.
This month, 43 people were killed by lightning till May 8. Of them, 34 were male and nine were female. The report of SSTF research cell said in the current month, 11 people died and nine people were injured by lightning strikes in one day alone.
Besides, the members of the organisation also highlighted how farmers can keep themselves safe in case of lightning.
Members of the organisation recently visited Manikganj’s Singair, Munshiganj’s Sirajdikhan, Dhaka’s Nawabganj and Keraniganj upazila and conducted lightning awareness activities among farmers working in the field after making groups of 500 farmers each.
Rashim Molla, general secretary of SSTF, requested the government to build shelters in the fields to save farmers from lightning strikes.
It also urged the government to conduct a lightning awareness programme for four months from March to June.
Dr Kabirul Bashar, president of the forum, said they have identified two reasons behind the increase in lightning strikes: increasing impact of global warming and cutting down trees in rural areas of Bangladesh, especially tall trees in the fields. Without trees, lightning strikes people in the field or in open spaces. Most people believe that it is better to take shelter under trees during storms, but it is wrong, he said, adding, people have to take shelter in houses or establishments.