At Least Six Killed, Dhaka Buildings Sway as 5.7-Magnitude Tremor Hits Narsingdi

DHAKA, BANGLADESH — A powerful 5.7-magnitude earthquake jolted central Bangladesh this morning (Friday, 21 November), killing at least six people and injuring over a hundred others, particularly in the Dhaka and Narsingdi districts.

The tremor, which struck at 10:38 am local time, had its epicentre in Madhabdi, Narsingdi, approximately 13km east of the seismic centre in Dhaka’s Agargaon, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). The United States Geological Survey (USGS) placed the magnitude at 5.5.

The few seconds of strong shaking triggered mass panic across Dhaka, Bogura, Barishal, and other districts, sending residents rushing out of their homes and offices.

Fatalities were reported after a building railing collapsed in Old Dhaka, while numerous others were injured from falling debris and stampedes.

The immediate physical damage included structural cracks reported in multiple buildings at Jahangirnagar University, including the new Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Hall.

There were multiple unconfirmed reports of structural failure, including an eight-storey building reportedly collapsing in Armanitola and others tilting in Sutrapur and Badda. Fire Service units were deployed across the capital, though many reports were found to be cases of panic, like a seven-storey building in Kalabagan reported to be tilting but found intact.

“The tremor lasted a few seconds, and our five-storey building swayed noticeably,” said Abu Sufian Fahim, a resident of Dhaka’s Kallyanpur, reflecting the widespread fear.

The Fire Service and Civil Defence agency responded to multiple alarms, including a reported collapse in Armanitola where only loose bricks had fallen, and a building near the Chief Adviser’s office that was reported damaged but found to be secure. Fire units were also dispatched to several fire incidents, including in Baridhara and Munshiganj, though it remains unclear if these were directly caused by the seismic event.