Five Dead and Hundreds Injured After 5.5 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Bangladesh
A moderate earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale struck Bangladesh on Friday, leaving at least five people dead—including a child—and more than 450 injured. The epicentre was near Narsingdi district, roughly 30 kilometres from the capital, Dhaka.
Residents fled buildings as structures shook violently. Makeshift homes collapsed, and a stampede at Dhaka University injured at least ten students attempting to evacuate. Environmental adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said the tremor was unprecedented in recent years.
Immediate Casualties and Damage
Deputy police commissioner Mallik Ahsan Uddin Sami confirmed that three fatalities occurred in Dhaka’s Armanitola area after railings and debris fell from a five-storey building. Nitai Chandra De Sarkar, director of the Department of Disaster Management’s monitoring division, reported 461 injuries nationwide, with Gazipur district accounting for 252 of them.
“Our main task at the moment is to assess casualties and damage,” Sarker told the BBC. “We are not yet seeing the challenge of rescue from the rubble or debris management at that level.”
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes. Bengali Sadman Sakib told Reuters: “I have never felt such tremor in my 30 years of life. We were at the office when the furniture started shaking. We rushed down the stairs and saw other people on the road already.”
A student named Abdullah recounted, “The whole building was shaking while I was sleeping.”
Regional Impact
Tremors were felt across eastern Indian states bordering Bangladesh, though no major damage was reported there. The earthquake also briefly interrupted Ireland’s second cricket test in Bangladesh. Spectators sought shelter, and the game paused for three minutes before resuming.
Ireland’s head coach Heinrich Malan said: “Everything stood still for a couple of minutes. We are thinking of everyone and hoping there wasn’t too much damage done.”
Government and Expert Response
Authorities have focused on casualty assessment and safety measures. Buildings across Dhaka were inspected for structural damage, while emergency teams remained on alert to provide medical aid and manage debris. Environmental experts noted that earthquakes of this magnitude are uncommon in Bangladesh, highlighting the need for preparedness.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasized the rarity of such seismic activity in recent years. “We have never experienced an earthquake this powerful in the last five years,” she said.
Conclusion
Friday’s earthquake in Bangladesh underscores both the country’s vulnerability to seismic events and the resilience of its residents. While immediate casualties are confirmed, authorities continue assessing structural damage and potential risks in urban and rural areas.
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