Staff Correspondent, Narayanganj

Deforestation has been rampant in Narayanganj since the early 1990s. As a result, lightning strikes have increasingly claimed lives in the district. Despite the tragic death of at least 35 people from lightning strikes in recent years, local residents remain largely unprepared.

 On Thursday (May 15), the Meteorological Department issued a forecast warning that thunderstorm activity could affect 14 regions, including Narayanganj. Winds may reach up to 60 kilometers per hour.

 Meteorologist Md. Shahinul Islam stated that temporary gusts, rain, thunderstorms, and lightning with wind speeds of 45–60 km/h may affect Dhaka, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Kishoreganj, Faridpur, Comilla, Noakhali, Khagrachari, Rangamati, Chattogram, and Sylhet districts.

 Since the early 1990s, Narayanganj has lost large areas of forest due to tree felling. After the great flood of 1998, the dredger culture began in full force, destroying at least 30 canals and over 100 ponds. Large trees were felled, and now even palm trees are rare in suburban areas. Coconut trees are also declining, while concrete buildings are rising.

 Due to the absence of tall trees, weather patterns have changed. Kalboishakhi storms, once typical in Baishakh, now arrive irregularly or not at all. Lightning, however, is striking more frequently.

 On Wednesday (May 14), a schoolboy named Nirab (14) tragically died after being struck by lightning while bathing in a pond in Bandar upazila. Nirab was a student of class 8 at Panchami Ghat High School and the son of expatriate Afzal Mia. He had just returned home from school when he went to bathe and was struck and killed instantly. His grandfather, Kabir Hossain, later recovered the body and rushed him to The Barakah Hospital in Madanpur, where doctors pronounced him dead.

 Lightning season has begun. In the past five years, 35 people have died due to lightning in four upazilas and two police station areas of Narayanganj. The previous Awami League government had launched a palm tree planting project to reduce lightning deaths, using funds from the Test Relief (TR) and Food for Work (Kabikha) programs.

 According to the Narayanganj District Agriculture Department Director Muhammad Shah Alam, palm seeds are planted during the monsoon season every year, though without formal budget allocation. Local agriculture offices carry out this work on their own initiative. Many of the saplings are destroyed by goats and cattle.

During 2019-20, four thousand palm saplings and about 700,000 seeds were reportedly planted in four upazilas. However, their existence is not visible in the field.

Biral Ahmed, a journalist from Rupganj, said that 366,000 seeds were planted over nine years, but none survived. Roadsides remain empty. It is suspected that millions of taka were embezzled under the TR-Kabikha scheme.

Inquiries with upazila project implementation offices revealed that 1,000 saplings were planted in each of Rupganj, Araihazar, Sonargaon, and Bandar upazilas, but there is no trace of them. Local administrations were responsible for their maintenance, but due to poor care, the saplings perished.

Professor Ishaq Mia, former head of geography at Murapara University College, said, “To reduce lightning deaths, tree felling must stop and more tall trees, like palm, must be planted.”

 According to local newspapers and disaster relief centers, 35 people died from lightning in Narayanganj over the last five years. Alomgir Hossain Tito, chairman of Vellab Union in Rupganj, said, “We planted many palm trees. Some survived, most died — eaten by livestock.”

 At the time, seeds were brought from Naogaon and Tk 100,000 was allocated from TR funds. In Araihazar upazila, 1,000 palm saplings were distributed across 10 unions, also funded by TR-Kabikha.

 Araihazar Relief Officer Md. Anisur Rahman said, “I’m not aware — maybe it happened.” Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Saiful Islam said, “I haven’t seen any palm trees planted by roadsides. Still, I’ll investigate.”

 Lightning deaths are rising across the country. In 2024, 297 people died due to lightning. This year, the death toll is also alarming. From Sunday to Monday, 13 people died from lightning within 24 hours. In April alone, 30 people died.

 On Friday, the Meteorological Department issued warnings for Barisal, Chattogram, and Sylhet. On Thursday, warnings were in place for Dhaka, Sherpur, Narsingdi, Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj, Tangail, Comilla, Sunamganj, and Sylhet.

 Meteorologist Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Mallik said lightning warnings have been issued in Bangladesh since April 1. Previously, such capacity was not available. Now, warnings can be issued 2–4 hours in advance using advanced models, lightning detectors, and satellite data from Japan's Himawari.

He added, “An average of 300 people die each year from lightning in Bangladesh. Many livestock also die. Since 2016, lightning has been classified as a disaster. Global warming has shifted thundercloud zones. Cutting tall trees increases lightning fatalities, especially among farmers working in open fields. Without tall trees to absorb the strikes, people and animals are more exposed.”