Nine women die of 'heatstroke' as crowd gathers in Chattogram to receive iftar handout

At least nine women have reportedly been killed by 'heatstroke' during a gathering to collect an iftar handout at Chattogram’s Satkania.

The deaths occurred as people gathered at a madrasa field in Nalua Union’s Gatiadenga (Hangarmukh) area on Monday afternoon, said police and a local representative.

Nalua Union Parishad Chairperson Taslima Akhtar told bdnews24.com that KSRM steel factory authorities distribute materials for preparing iftar to locals in need every year before Ramadan.

Nearly 20,000 gathered at the Kaderia Moinul Ulum Dakhil Madrasa field on Monday to receive the iftar materials.

“We have received news that eight people have been killed in the jostling and heat of the crowd.”

“People have died due to heat stroke among the crowd,” Chattogram Additional Superintendent of Police (South) Emran Bhuiyan told bdnews24.com.

“We have found eight bodies so far.”

The dead have been identified as Hasina Akhtar, 35, Rina Begum, 32, Saki, 22, Rashida Akhtar, 54, Tuntuni Begum, 15, Noorjahan, 18, Jostna Akhtar, 50, Anwara Begum, 60 and Noor Aysha, 60.

bdnews24.com has yet to receive a statement from the KSRM authorities.

KSRM CEO Md Meherul Karim said that the company’s managing director, Md Shajahan, was present on the present on the scene to distribute the iftar handouts. Packets of chickpeas, semai, sugar, onions and various other foodstuffs had been prepared for 20,000 people.

“Usually handouts are only given to residents of this village. But this year people from nearby villages came, inflating the crowd. We had previously informed the district administration and police. Police, as well as over 100 of our own security staff were present. A medical team was also on standby near the field. But we have still had a disaster.”

The families of each of the dead will receive Tk 300,000 in compensation, Karim said.

The company will also bear the cost of any medical treatment for the injured. Jobs will also be arranged for families of the dead if they wish to work at KSRM.

The district administration has launched a five-member probe to investigate the incident.

Additional District Magistrate Mohammad Mashudul Kabir will lead the committee and has been instructed to submit a report within seven working days, said Deputy Commissioner Ilias Hossain.

Wealthy families in Chattogram have a tradition of distributing money and various foodstuffs to the needy ahead of Ramadan, Eid and other religious occasions. There is also a tradition of inviting entire villages to feasts on special occasions.

In 2005 eight people looking to receive zakat from the KSRM owner were killed in a stampede.

On Dec 18 of last year ten people were killed in a stampede during a funeral rite for former Chattogram mayor and Awami League leader ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.

There were several stampede incidents across Bangladesh in 2015. In July of that year, 27 women and children were killed during a stampede while waiting to receive zakat clothing donations. In March of that year another ten were killed during a Hindu religious ceremony on the Brahmaputra River at Narayanganj's Langalband.