Bangladesh: 10 killed and 50 injured in stampede

According to a media report, on Monday 10 persons were killed and 50 others were injured  in a stampede in Bangladesh during a funeral rite of a former Chittagong mayor.

Chowdhury, the Chittagong Metropolitan Awami League chief, had served the city corporation for 16 years. He died on Friday at the age of 73.

The tragedy occurred at the Rima Community Centre, where food was being served mostly for the Hindus as part of the Muslim rite of "Qul-khwani" (prayers for a departed soul) of former mayor and ruling.

Thousands of people joined the "Qul-khwani" staged simultaneously at 14 convention centres where lunch was served as part of the rite.

About 8,000 people were inside and outside a community center where the ritual was being held.

"According to information we received, 10 people were killed," a home ministry spokesman told media.

Awami League leader ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, said the incident happened at the entrance of the two-storey building.

With the crowd going out of control, people jostled for space on the ramp outside the entrance forcing some visitors to fall only to be trampled on by those behind them, the media reported.

Initial reports from Chittagong suggest nine of the dead were Hindus with the 10th being a Buddhist.

The death toll is expected to rise as several others have been seriously injured in the incident at a convention centre in the port city's Jamal Khan area, officials said.