Farmers in Paity of Demra, Dhaka try to recover half-ripe paddy yesterday after a nor'wester damaged their crops Friday night.Photo: STAR

At least eight people were killed and over 50 injured as nor'westers swept over Natore, Sirajganj, Bagerhat, Rajbari and Jessore districts on Friday night.
The storms also damaged huge IRRI-Boro crops and vegetables, several hundreds of semi-pucca and thatched houses and uprooted many trees, officials in district administration and Department of Agricultural Extension said.
Our correspondent in Sirajganj reported that three persons were killed in Tarash and Belkuchi upazilas as nor'westers swept over 50 villages of Sadar, Kazipur, Raiganj, Tarash, Belkuchi, Ullapara, Kamarkhanda, Shahzadpur and Chowhali upazilas.
Trees fell on Jamila Khatun, 24, wife of Abdur Rashid of Chak-Kushabari village of Tarash, and her daughter Riya, 3, and Channu Mia, 30, of Chala Satrasta area in Belkuchi, during the storm, killing them.
The storm also uprooted many electric poles, disrupting power supply to the district town. Workers of Power Development Board restored the power supply yesterday after working for eight-ten hours.
Officials of district and upazila administration visited different affected areas yesterday and assured people of providing assistance.
News agency UNB reports: Three persons, including two of a family, were killed and over 50 injured as trees and houses collapsed during a severe nor'wester in Gurudaspur upazila of Natore.
Local administration sources said Moyna Begum, wife of Rashid Sardar, and her three-year-old daughter Dalim died when their house in Uzirpara village collapsed.
In another incident, Golam Mahmood of Dharisha village died as a tree fell on him.
The storm also damaged over 50 thatched houses and uprooted a large number of trees.
A woman was killed when a tree fell on her in Pakurikanda village of Sadar upazila of Rajbari on Friday night. The deceased was identified as Tarabanu, 70.
Our correspondent in Khulna reported that one person was killed and two others were injured as an engine boat carrying 10 persons capsized in the Bhairab at Muniganj under Bagerhat Sadar upazila during a nor'wester.
The dead was identified as Hafizur Rahman Mukul, 45, of Senhati village under Digholia upazila of the district.
Two persons--Arabinda Das, 38, lecturer of Bagerhat Girls' College, and Alamgir Hossain, 32, field officer of an NGO, have been missing since the capsize.
A general diary was filed with Bagerhat Sadar in this connection.
Reports received from different upazilas of Khulna, Bagerhat and Jessore said Friday night's nor'wester caused huge damages to IRRI-Boro crops and semi-pucca and thatched houses.
Meanwhile, our Benapole correspondent reported that a huge piece of hail fell from the sky on the ground in Goga village of Sharsha upazila on Friday afternoon although there was no cloud or rain.
Locals said the hail, which broke into hundreds of pieces, could weigh about 50kg but no one was fortunately hurt in the incident.