72 killed by lightning strikes this year: SSTAF

At least 72 people have been killed by lightning strikes in Bangladesh this year, according to the Save the Society and Thunderstorm Awareness Forum (SSTAF), which found that the majority of victims were farmers caught in open fields.
With the toll rising by the day, 14 people lost their lives to the natural hazard on 26 April alone, the SSTAF said.
To raise awareness among the most vulnerable groups, SSTAF conducted a safety campaign on Friday, reaching over a hundred farmers in Munshiganj on May Day.
SSTAF teams engaged with farmers in the Arial Beel area delivering three core instructions: seek shelter immediately when dark clouds appear, never take cover under trees during a storm, and always wear footwear while working in the fields.
Teams also visited farming areas in Sirajdikhan (Munshiganj) and Nawabganj (Dhaka), distributing refreshments   and oral saline alongside safety guidance.
General Secretary Rashim Molla called for permanent shelters to be built in farming areas and for awareness drives to continue throughout the peak lightning season from March to June.
“Farmers need somewhere to go,” he said, stressing that access to solid structures during storms could save lives.
Joint Secretary Mostak Ahmed pointed to global warming and the widespread clearing of large rural trees as key factors leaving farmers increasingly exposed. He also pushed back against a widespread belief he said costs lives.
“Many people think trees offer protection during a storm. They do not. A permanent structure is the only safe option,” he said.