Stampede for Zakat clothes kills 2 women in Manikganj

MANIKGANJ, July 24 (UNB): Two women were killed and 10 others wounded in a stampede by a overwhelming crowd of distressed people for receiving jakat clothes distributed by a private organisation in the district town early Thursday.

The deceased were identified as Jamila Begum, 45, wife of Ayen Uddin of Baroil village in sadar upazila, and Saleha Begum, 60, wife of Abdus Salam of Purba Dasura in the district town.

Locals said business conglomerate Bashundhura Group earlier announced to distribute Jakat clothes among the distressed people after Sehri in the house of Syed Mahbub Morshed Runu, an adviser of the chairman of the group, on the Girls School Road in the district town early Thursday.

The tragic incident took place around 3:30am when a large crowd of people, numbering 8,000- 10,000, most of whom were women, gathered in front of the house.

As they moved to enter the house after its main gate was opened, a sudden rush for jakat clothes was created and falling under the crowd, 12 women, including Jamila and Saleha, were injured.

The injured were taken to sadar hospital where doctors declared Jamila and Saleha dead.