A 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck Dhaka and several nearby districts at 10:38am on Friday, triggering panic across the capital and surrounding cities. The epicentre was located in Madhabdi of Narsingdi, close to Dhaka. The tremor, which lasted for about 20 seconds, caused portions of roofs, walls and railings to collapse in multiple areas, leaving at least 10 people dead and more than 400 injured across three districts.
In Dhaka, four people were killed when a rooftop railing collapsed in the Kasaituli area of Armanitola. Narsingdi reported five deaths, all of whom died while trying to rush down from high-rise buildings in panic. In Rupganj of Narayanganj, a child was killed after a boundary wall collapsed.
Hospitals in Dhaka and nearby districts saw a large influx of casualties. According to the Dhaka district administration, 59 injured people were treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), while 13 others received treatment at Mitford Hospital.
Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the police camp at DMCH, said five people — including two students of Dhaka University — remain under treatment.
Earthquake expert Prof Mehedi Ahmed Ansary warned that Friday’s tremor may be a “foreshock” of a larger event. He noted that major earthquakes in the region historically occur every 100–250 years. He cautioned that many of Dhaka’s nearly 2.1 million buildings were constructed without proper compliance to building codes, posing serious risks in the event of a stronger quake.
Rubaiyat Kabir, head of the Seismic Observation Centre at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, said Bangladesh lies along the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, where active fault lines frequently trigger tremors. He added that aftershocks are possible following such an event.
Experts have urged immediate assessment and reinforcement of vulnerable structures. Residents of Dhaka have been advised to remain cautious, while building owners have been reminded to ensure proper code-compliant construction and structural verification.
