At least six people including five women were killed and 15 others were injured yesterday morning when several thousand people gathered in front of a house at Aatami Bazar in Muktagachha upazila, our correspondent in Mymensingh reports.

The dead are Fazila Khatun, 25, Hasen Khatun, 45, Khaleda Begum, 35, Noor Jahan Begum, 45, Rahima Khatun, 25 and Rahim Uddin, 45.

Of the injured, four were taken to Muktagachha Health Complex and later shifted to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) as their condition deteriorated. The critically injured were Chhurati Begum, 50, Abdul Mannan, 42, Rajib, 12 and Noor Jahan. Noor Jahan succumbed to her injuries later.

Local and police sources said around five to six thousand people gathered before the main gate of the house of late Nabab Ali at Aatani Bazar around 6:00am to collect zakat clothes. A number of the people were allowed to enter the house to collect the clothes while others were impatiently waiting out-side pressing against the gate. The gate eventually collapsed triggering the stampede.

Police rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies. The bodies were sent to MMCH morgue for autopsy.

Sheikh Mahbubur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Muktagachha Police Station told newsmen that they were not informed about the huge gathering. The responsibility of managing the huge crowd goes to the people giving out the zakat clothes since they did not inform police of the matter, he added.

Meanwhile, three people were killed and 20 others were injured in another stampede incident during distribution of zakat clothes at a ruling BNP leader's house in Patuakhali early yesterday, our correspondent in Patuakhali reports.

The dead are Abeda Begum, 50, Noor Jahan, 70, and Shahinur, 45.

Of the injured, Rozina, 7, Shakina, 45, Rezia Begum, 55, Maleka, 35, Rani Begum, 38, Chatu, 45, Sonavan, 25, Aleya, 50, Nurjahan, 45, Ruma, 12 and Golbanu, 35 were admitted to Patuakhali General Hospital.

Sources said hundreds of destitute people gathered in the front of the house of Abdur Rashid Chunnu Mia, senior vice-president of BNP Patuakhali unit, to collect zakat clothes. They gathered in front of the gate and people in the front were trampled by the people behind them when the gatekeeper suddenly opened the gate and they rushed to get in.

On contact, Chunnu Mia said, "I did not announce I would distribute zakat clothes. They themselves came to my house and the accident happened." He, however, apologised for the tragic incident.