10 die in stampede at Mohiuddin’s kulkhwani

Ten persons died and about 40 others were injured in a stampede at the kulkhwani of former Chittagong mayor Mohiuddin Chowdhury this afternoon.

Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner Iqbal Bahar told reporters after visiting Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

The incident took place at Rima Community Centre in Chittagong city’s Jamal Khan area around 1:45 pm, where the kulkhwani was specially organised for the Hindu community. The venue was one of the 14 places in the city where the kulkhwani was arranged, our Chittagong staff correspondent reports quoting police.

A duty officer of the hospital’s police camp, Mohammad Hamid, told The Daily Star that all the dead were men who died while scurrying into the community centre. Forty others were injured in the stampede, he said.

The deceased were identified as Krishnapada Das, 35, Sudhir Das, 40, Dipankar Das Rahul, 23, Pradip Talukdar, 55, Jhantu Das, 45, Dhana Shil, 50, Titu Das, 30, Liton Deb, 50, Alak Bhoumik, 36, and Ashish Barua, whose age could not be known immediately.

The injured are undergoing treatment at the hospital while the condition of 10 of them was stated to be critical, the hospital sources said.

On information of the tragic incident, Awami League lawmaker from Raozan upazila ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury announced to give Tk one lakh to each of the victims’ family members.

Besides, Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Zillur Rahman also announced that the local administration will provide Tk 25,000 to each of the victims' family members.

Later, Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, son of late Mohiuddin and also organising secretary of Awmi League central committee, said that he would bear all cost of treatment of the injured people until their complete recovery.

The port city’s iconic figure ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury passed away at a hospital in Chittagong on December 15.