Dhaka and its surrounding districts have been struck by four earthquakes in just 31 hours, sending shockwaves of anxiety through the capital and raising urgent warnings from seismologists about the potential for a far more devastating quake in the near future.
The seismic activity began on Friday, November 21, at 10:38 am, when a powerful 5.7-magnitude earthquake – epicentred in Narsingdi – shook the entire country.
The tremor caused widespread panic, collapsed buildings in several districts, and left at least 10 people dead and hundreds injured, according to initial government reports.
Since then, three more tremors have been recorded within 24 hours – on Saturday morning and evening – intensifying fears among residents and experts alike. All three are being classified as aftershocks, though specialists caution that Friday’s quake could itself have been a foreshock to an even larger event.
The first of Saturday’s tremors struck at 10:36:12 am, registering 3.3 on the Richter scale. Its epicentre was located 29 kilometres northeast of Dhaka’s Earthquake Observation and Research Center, in Palash, Narsingdi.
A more unsettling doublet followed in the evening: two quakes struck almost simultaneously at 6:06:04 pm and 6:06:05 pm.
The first, centred in Badda, Dhaka, measured 3.7, while the second – originating in Narsingdi – was significantly stronger at 4.3 magnitude.
Residents across the capital reported swaying buildings, rattling windows, and momentary evacuations from homes and offices.
Rubaiyat Kabir, Officer-in-Charge of the Earthquake Monitoring Center at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, confirmed the aftershock classification but issued a sobering warning.
“Aftershocks can continue for one to two weeks following a major quake,” he told Jago News. “Today’s events were mild – but what happened yesterday could also be a foreshock. If a larger earthquake follows, that 5.7 would seem minor in comparison.”
His concerns were echoed by renowned seismologist and former Dhaka University professor Dr Humayun Akhtar, who stressed that while multiple aftershocks in a single day are not unusual, the pattern is deeply concerning.
“The trapped tectonic energy is now being released in bursts,” he explained. “But this doesn’t mean the danger has passed. On the contrary, it may signal that stress is building toward a more significant rupture. We must prepare for the possibility of a major earthquake.”
Bangladesh lies in a seismically active zone at the convergence of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Experts have long warned that Dhaka – densely populated, poorly regulated in construction, and built on soft deltaic soil – is exceptionally vulnerable to catastrophic damage in the event of a high-magnitude quake.
In the wake of the recent tremors, civil society groups, engineers, and disaster management officials are calling for immediate action: stricter enforcement of building codes, public awareness campaigns, and the activation of emergency response protocols.
While no major structural damage has been reported from Saturday’s aftershocks, the psychological toll is mounting. Many residents spent the night outdoors, fearing another violent shake. Social media has been flooded with videos of swaying ceiling fans, falling objects, and panicked evacuations.
Authorities have urged calm but acknowledge the real risk. “This is not just about responding to tremors – it’s about preparing for what might come next,” said a senior official from the Department of Disaster Management, speaking on condition of anonymity.
As Dhaka remains on edge, scientists continue to monitor seismic activity around the clock. For now, the ground may be quiet – but experts say it could be the calm before a far more destructive storm.