8 killed during nor’wester

Eight people were killed and several others injured as a nor’wester hit the capital and some northern districts of the country yesterday.

Of them, three died in the capital, two in Chapainawabganj, two in Naogaon and one in Rajshahi.

In the capital, Shakirul Islam, 40, was killed as a makeshift pandal of the Baitul Mukarram national mosque collapsed on him and others around 7:00pm. Shakirul along with others was offering prayers there after iftar.

Twenty-two injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Bachchu Mia, inspector of DMCH police outpost.

In North Badda, two people were killed in a boundary wall collapse, said Abdur Razzak, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Badda Police Station.

They dead are Bulbul Biswas, 23, and Tapan, 22.

According to the Met office, the wind speed was up to 65kmph during the storm and it was accompanied by 23mm of rainfall in the capital.

In Rajshahi, Abdus Sobhan Sarker, 65, Baneswar union BNP president in Puthia upazila, died as bricks from his business establishment fell on him at Baneswar Bazar, said Shakil Ahmed, OC of Puthia Police Station.

In Chapainawabganj, two farmers were killed and another was injured by lightning strike in Shreerampur village of Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila. Thunderbolt struck them when they were working at a paddy field in the afternoon.

The victims are Rezaul Hossain, 40, and Mohammad Musa, 35.

In Naogaon, two day labourers were killed as a thunderbolt struck them at Porsha upazila around 4:30pm. They were harvesting paddy in Kanoir Beel.

The victims are Shah Nur, 28, of Porsha upazila, and Md Hasan, 30, of Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj, said Shahinur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Porsha Police Station.

In Thakurgaon, at least 10 people were wounded and around 100 houses were damaged as a tornado lashed Bangroad Mandalpara in Sadar upazila in the evening. 

Our correspondents in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon and Thakurgaon contributed to this report.