SANGSAD BHABAN, July 8, (v7n) – Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu has announced that the government will construct multi-purpose shelters in lightning-prone northern and haor regions to protect rural farmers and fishermen.
"Like cyclone and flood shelters, the government will build multi-purpose shelters in the lightning-prone northern and haor areas to save lives," the minister said in a statement responding to a notice from ruling party lawmaker Arifa Sultana under Section 71 of the Rules of Procedure, with Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal in the chair.
The Disaster Management Ministry is now formulating a project to set up shelter houses and lightning arresters to curb deaths from lightning strikes. Under the new initiative, shelters and IoT-based lightning arresters will initially be installed in 15 districts, including Chalan Beel, Natore, Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Pabna, and the haor basin covering Sunamganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Netrokona, Kishoreganj, and Brahmanbaria. The project, estimated at Taka 950 crore, is pending before the Planning Commission.
The shelters will be equipped with lightning arresters and provide temporary refuge for farmers, who can take shelter quickly after sirens sound during cloudy weather.
The minister also announced that compensation for lightning victim families has been increased to Taka 50,000 from Taka 25,000. He said the ministry, Bangladesh Meteorological Department, local administrations, and other agencies are working in close coordination to mitigate risks and enhance public awareness. Lightning forecasts are being disseminated via mass media, social media, and the Integrated Voice Response (IVR) system to ensure timely alerts, while awareness campaigns are conducted through leaflets, posters, and drills.
Lightning strikes kill an average of 300 people annually in Bangladesh, mostly farmers and rural laborers caught in exposed fields during the pre-monsoon storm season (April–June). In 2016, after 80 people died in a single day, Bangladesh declared lightning a natural disaster. Since then, successive governments have implemented projects including palm tree plantations, arresters, and shelters, though none have significantly reduced fatalities.
According to the Department of Disaster Management, lightning claimed at least 3,485 lives between 2015 and 2024, peaking at 427 in 2020. Deaths fell to 322 in 2023 and 271 by mid-2024, but rose again to 350 in 2025. As of April 18 this year, 60 fatalities have already been recorded. Lightning now kills more people annually than any other natural disaster in the country, with severity higher than in Nepal (≈100/year), South Africa (≈200/year), or the USA (20 in 2025).
With roughly 1,800 thunderstorms occurring globally at any moment—totaling 16 million annually—lightning remains a persistent threat, making preparedness and adaptation essential for a vulnerable country like Bangladesh.
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