The fear of lightning strikes returns with every monsoon season across the vast haor wetlands of Netrokona, where thousands of farmers and fishermen depend on open fields and water bodies for their livelihoods. While the rainy season brings opportunities for cultivation and fishing, it also exposes residents to one of the country’s deadliest natural hazards.
According to district-level data, at least 13 people have died in lightning strikes during the first seven months of 2026, highlighting the growing danger faced by communities living and working in the region. Over the past five and a half years, lightning has claimed the lives of at least 60 people across the district.
Official records show that 15 people died from lightning strikes in 2021, followed by three in 2022, 12 in 2023, five in 2024, 12 in 2025, and at least 13 deaths by June 2026. The figures illustrate that lightning continues to pose a recurring threat despite growing public awareness campaigns and seasonal warnings.
Most of those killed have been farmers, fishermen and low-income labourers. Their occupations require them to spend long hours in exposed areas such as crop fields, wetlands and rivers, leaving them particularly vulnerable when thunderstorms develop suddenly. As a result, they bear the greatest human cost during the monsoon months.
Several upazilas, including Khaliajuri, Madan, Mohanganj, Kendua, Purbadhala and Netrokona Sadar, are regarded as high-risk areas because of their extensive haor landscapes. During the rainy season, rapidly changing weather conditions often leave people with little or no time to reach safety.
One recent tragedy occurred in Joypasha village under Madan upazila, where 24-year-old brick kiln worker Rajib Mia went to catch fish in a field beside his home after early morning rainfall. He had hoped to return home with fish for his family, but a sudden lightning strike killed him instantly.
The same day, on 18 June, two more lives were lost in separate incidents. Shamsul Huda, 55, was struck while fishing in Morail Beel in Kendua upazila, while 25-year-old Ashraful Islam died in the Sandikona area after being hit by lightning. The deaths of three people in a single day plunged their families and local communities into mourning.
For many households, the victims were the sole breadwinners. Their sudden deaths have left families facing not only emotional trauma but also severe financial uncertainty.
Farmers in the haor region say the danger often arrives without warning. Samsul Haque, a farmer from Mendipur village in Khaliajuri, explained that weather conditions in the wetlands can change within minutes.
“When we are working in the haor, it is difficult to predict the weather. Dark clouds can gather suddenly and lightning begins almost immediately. There are no nearby buildings or safe places to take shelter, so we remain at risk,” he said.
Fishermen describe facing similar dangers. Once storms begin while they are on the water, they often have no option but to remain in their boats until conditions improve, increasing their exposure to lightning.
Meteorological experts attribute the rising threat in part to changing climate patterns. Mohammad Mamun, officer in charge of the Netrokona Agricultural Meteorological Observatory, said increasing global temperatures linked to climate change are creating greater atmospheric instability, leading to more frequent development of thunderclouds.
He explained that lightning is primarily generated from cumulonimbus (CB) clouds, which form under highly unstable atmospheric conditions. He also warned that widespread tree felling has reduced natural protection in many parts of the district. Planting more tall native trees, particularly palmyra palms, across the haor region could help reduce lightning-related risks over the long term.
District Commissioner Khandaker Mushfiqur Rahman acknowledged that installing lightning protection rods alone would not be sufficient across the district’s vast wetland areas. Instead, he said authorities are considering the establishment of dedicated shelter zones where farmers and fishermen can quickly seek refuge during sudden storms.
He said the proposal has already been communicated to the relevant ministry. The planned shelters would include lightning protection systems along with essential emergency facilities. Before implementation, a team of technical experts is expected to conduct field visits to determine suitable locations and assess engineering requirements.
As climate-related weather extremes become increasingly common, officials and experts agree that improving early warning systems, expanding safe shelters and strengthening community preparedness will be essential to reducing lightning fatalities in one of Bangladesh’s most vulnerable wetland regions.
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