At least 10 people have died in Chittagong in a stampede during a funeral rite for former mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury on Monday.
The death toll is expected to rise as several others have been injured in the incident at a community centre in the port city’s Jamal Khan area.
“At least 15 people were taken to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital and the doctors declared 10 of them dead,” said Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner Iqbal Bahar.
Chowdhury’s son Mohibul Hassan, an organising secretary of the ruling Awami League, rushed to the hospital after the incident.
Mohiuddin Chowdhury, who was the Chittagong Metropolitan Awami League chief and had served the city corporation for 16 years, died on Friday at the age of 73.
The passing of the populist politician had cast a pall on Chittagong.
On Monday, the Muslim funeral rite of Kulkhwani was arranged at 14 venues across the port city.
One of the venues was Rima Community Centre, the site for the stampede, where organisers were serving non-beef dishes, mostly for the Hindus.
The incident happened at the entrance of the two-storey building, said Anup Das, who was working as a volunteer.
