A 5.5 magnitude earthquake in central Bangladesh kills at least 8 people

Bangladesh’s central region was hit by a powerful 5.5 magnitude earthquake Friday morning, killing at least eight people and leaving more than 300 injured as buildings swayed and panicked residents fled into the streets.

The earthquake struck at 10:38 a.m. with its epicenter located in the Ghorashal area of Narsingdi district, approximately 25 kilometers (16 miles) from the capital Dhaka, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake had a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), which likely contributed to the intensity felt across the region.

Among the fatalities were two children, as reported by Dhaka-based DBC Television. Most deaths resulted from collapsing roofs and walls. In one particularly tragic incident in Dhaka’s old city area of Armanitola, three people were killed when a building’s railings collapsed onto a butcher’s shop. The victims were rushed to a hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival, according to the Prothom Alo newspaper.

“I came out when I heard a loud noise and saw that some bricks had fallen, and I saw some people injured also,” said local resident Mohammed Arif, describing the chaotic scene that unfolded during the quake.

Emergency services responded quickly, with the Fire Service and Civil Defense department dispatching firefighters to locations where residents reported tilting buildings. Teams were also sent to address a fire that broke out in Dhaka’s Baridhara neighborhood following the tremor.

The industrial area of Gazipur, just outside Dhaka, was particularly hard hit. Prothom Alo reported that 252 people, predominantly garment workers, were hospitalized in this district alone. The region hosts hundreds of garment factories and industrial facilities that form the backbone of Bangladesh’s export economy.

Many of the injuries occurred during panic-induced stampedes as factory workers rushed to evacuate buildings when the shaking began. Television footage showed distressing scenes of worried family members in tears as victims were transported to medical facilities, including the state-run Dhaka Medical College Hospital. At Dhaka University, frightened students reportedly jumped from upper floors of dormitories in an attempt to escape.

While Bangladesh sits in a seismically active region due to the interaction between the India and Eurasia tectonic plates, the USGS notes that the central area of the country where Friday’s quake occurred typically experiences less seismic activity compared to the northern and southeastern regions. Since 1950, only 14 earthquakes of magnitude 5.5 or greater, including two magnitude 6 quakes, have been recorded within a 250-kilometer (156-mile) radius of the epicenter of Friday’s earthquake.

This unusual seismic event has raised concerns among experts who warn that Bangladesh, home to 170 million people, is largely unprepared for higher-magnitude earthquakes that could cause widespread destruction. Dhaka, with its approximately 2.1 million buildings, many constructed without adequate earthquake-resistant features, is considered particularly vulnerable to major seismic events.

The garment industry, which represents more than 80% of Bangladesh’s exports and employs about 4 million workers, could face significant disruptions if factory inspections reveal structural damage requiring temporary closures. Many facilities in industrial zones like Gazipur operate in buildings not originally designed to withstand significant seismic activity.

Authorities are continuing to assess damage to infrastructure across the affected regions, while hospitals remain on alert for additional casualties. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has advised residents to remain vigilant for potential aftershocks in the coming days.