People and Culture
Three Quakes in Two Days: Death Toll Rises to 10 Across Bangladesh
A series of earthquakes over two consecutive days has left at least 10 people dead in Dhaka, Narsingdi and Narayanganj, with more than 400 injured across the country. The first quake, recorded at 10:38am on Friday (21 November), measured 5.7 on the Richter scale and is being described as one of the strongest in recent decades. Its epicentre was located in Madhabdi of Narsingdi.
Less than 24 hours later, another tremor of magnitude 3.3 struck Palash in Narsingdi at 10:36am on Saturday. In the evening, two more quakes were felt in the capital—one measuring 3.7 at 6:06:04pm and a second measuring 4.3 just a second later. According to the Meteorological Department, both originated in Dhaka’s Badda area.
The repeated tremors have triggered widespread panic among residents. Many of Friday’s injuries occurred when chunks of concrete fell from buildings or as people rushed downstairs in fear.
Experts warn that Bangladesh remains highly vulnerable to seismic activity due to its location at the junction of three major tectonic plates: the Indian Plate, the Eurasian Plate and the Burma Microplate. Multiple active fault lines running across the country—including those stretching from Sylhet to the Chattogram Hill Tracts and around Dhaka-Narsingdi-Gazipur—are increasing the likelihood of frequent moderate quakes being strongly felt.
At least 10 people were injured in a clash between two groups over a wedding invitation dispute in Bakri village under Jhenaidah Sadar upazila. The incident took place on Saturday morning (22 November), according to police.
Locals and police said tension began after Rafiqul Islam failed to invite his neighbour, Shahin Uddin, to his daughter’s wedding held on Friday. The following morning, Shahin and his associates allegedly attacked Rafiqul’s house, triggering a violent confrontation. Both groups reportedly used improvised weapons, leaving at least 10 people injured.
Police arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. The injured were taken to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital for treatment. Authorities have deployed additional police in the area as tensions remain high, said Sadar Police Station OC Abdullah Al Mamun.
A strong earthquake jolted Dhaka and several parts of Bangladesh on Friday morning, leaving five people dead nationwide, including four in the capital. The tremor, measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale, was felt at 10:39 am (21 November) across Bangladesh as well as parts of India.
Widespread panic followed the quake, with many fearing a stronger one might occur. Experts say the epicenter was close to Dhaka, causing the shaking to feel unusually intense. According to Md Mominul Islam, Director at the Meteorological Department, the outcome could have been catastrophic had the tremor lasted another 5 to 7 seconds.
The Met Office categorizes Bangladesh into three seismic risk zones. Districts in Sylhet, Mymensingh, Kishoreganj, Brahmanbaria, parts of Tangail, Gazipur and Narsingdi, along with the hilly districts of Khagrachhari and Rangamati, fall under the highest risk zone. In contrast, Khulna, Jessore, Barishal and Patuakhali are considered low-risk regions.
Urban authorities have identified around 2.1 million buildings in Dhaka as vulnerable. A joint JICA and Disaster Management Programme survey warns that a quake of magnitude 7 or higher could destroy up to 72,000 buildings and damage another 135,000 in the capital, creating nearly 70 million tons of debris.
Experts attribute Bangladesh’s seismic vulnerability to its position along multiple active fault lines, including the Indian and Eurasian plate boundaries and the Dauki, Madhupur, and Sagaing faults.
At least seven people have been killed after a strong earthquake jolted Dhaka and several other parts of Bangladesh on Friday morning. More than 300 people were injured nationwide, and cracks were reported in buildings and structures across multiple districts.
The quake struck at 10:38am, registering 5.7 on the Richter scale according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, with its epicentre in Madhabdi of Narsingdi. The US Geological Survey (USGS) measured the magnitude at 5.5.
In Dhaka’s Bangshal area, three pedestrians died when the railing of a five-storey building collapsed during the tremor. The victims were identified as Rafiqul Islam, a student of Mitford Medical College, Haji Abdur Rahim and Mehrab Hossain Rimon. Fire service and police teams launched rescue operations immediately after the incident.
In Narayanganj’s Rupganj, two people — including a one-year-old child — were killed after walls collapsed in separate incidents. Several others were injured.
Two more deaths were reported from Narsingdi, where a child and a 75-year-old man were crushed under collapsed structures. Police said around 100 people were injured across six upazilas.
The earthquake triggered widespread panic as residents rushed out of buildings. Authorities and emergency teams are working to assess the damage and ensure public safety.
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