News Flash
SANGSAD BHABAN, July 08, 2026 (BSS)- Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu has said the government will construct multi-purpose shelter at the lightning prone northern and haor areas in the country.
“Like the cyclone shelter and flood shelter centers, the government will construct multi-purpose shelters at the lightning prone northern and haor region aiming to saving life of the rural farmers and fishermen”, he said.
The minister said this in a statement responding to a notice raised by ruling party lawmaker Arifa Sultana under section 71 of the Rules of Procedure at the Jatiya Sangsad today with Deputy speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal in the chair.
The disaster management ministry is now taking up a project to set up shelter houses and arresters to curb deaths due to lightning strikes.
Under the new project, shelter houses and internet of things (IoT)-based lightning arresters will be initially set up in lightning-prone areas of 15 districts, he said.
The centers will be constructed at Chalan Beel, Natore, Sirajganj, Rajshahi and Pabna and basin in north-eastern Bangladesh encompasses 373 major wetlands spanning seven districts like Sunamganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Netrokona, Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria.
The project, estimated to cost Taka 950 crore, is now pending before the Planning Commission, said an official of the disaster ministry.
These shelter centers also will be equipped with installation of lightning arresters and farmers temporary shelter. The farmers will take shelter at these shelter centers quickly after receiving siren during the cloudy weather.
Regarding the financial assistance for sudden death of the farmers, Dulu said the compensation for lightning victim family has been raised to Taka 50,000 from Taka 25,000.
He said the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, local administrations, and other relevant agencies are working in close coordination to mitigate lightning-related risks and enhance public awareness.
The minister added that lightning forecasts generated through modern weather monitoring systems are being disseminated to the public via mass media, social media platforms, and the Integrated Voice Response (IVR) system to ensure timely alerts.
He further said that awareness campaigns are being conducted at the field level through leaflets, posters, and special drills.
Lightning strikes in Bangladesh are a leading natural disaster, killing an average of 300 people annually. The majority of victims are farmers and rural laborers caught in exposed fields, particularly during the intense pre-monsoon storm season from April to June.
In 2016, after 80 people were killed in a single day, Bangladesh declared lightning a natural disaster. Since then, successive governments have implemented projects like palm tree plantations, installation of lightning arresters, and constructing shelters.
However, none of those were successful in reducing lightning-related deaths.
According to the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), lightning strikes claimed at least 3,485 lives between 2015 and 2024, with annual fatalities peaking at 427 in 2020.
Although reported deaths fell to 322 in 2023 and 271 by mid-2024, the trend in 2025 turned severe again with 350 deaths. This year, according to a report by a national daily, there have already been 60 fatalities as of April 18.
Overall, lightning strikes are now killing more people annually than any other natural disaster in the country. The severity also appears to be higher in Bangladesh compared to other countries.
For example, Nepal has roughly 100 people killed by lightning every year. South Africa has about 200 people killed every year. The number in the USA was just 20 in 2025.
According to scientists, roughly 1,800 thunderstorms occur at any given moment around the world, amounting to nearly 16 million each year.
Thunderstorms, therefore, are an unavoidable reality, and lightning will remain a persistent threat. This makes preparedness and adaptation essential, particularly in a country as vulnerable as Bangladesh.
