Stronger quake may hit Bangladesh, experts warn as 10 killed in 5.7 tremor

Dhaka: Experts have urged the Bangladesh government to take immediate action after an earthquake claimed at least 10 lives in the country, warning that a far stronger tremor may lie ahead and that failure to act now could result in greater losses.

A 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck on Friday morning, causing at least 10 deaths and significant damage to buildings, mostly in central parts of Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka. Three mild-intensity tremors also rocked the country on Saturday.

According to a report published in The Daily Star newspaper on Sunday, Friday's quake "lays bare Dhaka’s fragility".

The Dhaka district administration has confirmed damage to at least 14 buildings, while Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) put the figure at more than 50. Officials said the number was expected to rise as inspections continued.

“We are still working. Many more buildings will be identified,” the paper quoted Rajuk Chairman Md Riazul Islam as saying.

Rajuk, the agency responsible for monitoring compliance from planning to construction, has long faced criticism for inadequate oversight.

Professor Munaz Ahmed Noor, vice president of the Bangladesh Earthquake Society, said Rajuk “always wakes up after a major incident,” citing a chronic shortage of manpower.

He stressed strict adherence to the Bangladesh National Building Code, noting that past failures in enforcement had left many structures vulnerable. Noor said errors often occur not in design but during implementation, such as improper placement of reinforcement despite correct drawings.

Prof Mehedi Ahmed Ansary of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology's (BUET) civil engineering department said damaged buildings must be evaluated immediately and prioritised according to risk.

He warned that a stronger earthquake could trigger catastrophic collapses, adding that timely action could avert greater losses.

"I think these (recent) earthquakes are foreshocks of a bigger one. We must be prepared for that," Ansary said.

Seismologist Syed Humayun Akhter warned that the Indo-Burma subduction zone is accumulating strain capable of generating a major seismic event, potentially of very high magnitude.

Dhaka is considered one of the world’s 20 most earthquake-vulnerable cities with its very dense population and huge number of dilapidated buildings, many of them being in the old part of the capital.

The region has a long history of powerful earthquakes, with five major tremors between 1869 and 1930 measuring above 7.0 on the Richter scale.

Experts have long been warning that Bangladesh could suffer a major earthquake anytime soon, as it sits on the collision zone of major tectonic plates, crossed by several active fault lines, exposing the country to high seismic risk.

Ansary recommended that Rajuk issue public notices urging homeowners to assess their buildings and submit structural reports, which experts could then review for further guidance.

While visible damage remains limited, he cautioned that many buildings may have suffered internal stress.

In 2022, Rajuk identified 42 buildings in Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj as being at immediate risk, ordering evacuation and demolition within three months. Another 187 required retrofitting. However, most directives remain unimplemented, the newspaper said.

The high-risk structures include buildings owned by the government and autonomous bodies such as the Education Engineering Department, Department of Health Education, LGED, Jagannath University, Dhaka University, the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board, the Institute of Leather Technology and the Bangladesh Medical University hospital.

Asked about the stalled actions, Rajuk Chairman Islam said most of the structures were government-owned and required a fresh citywide reassessment. He said risky structures were being listed, sealed or cleared as necessary.

"This earthquake is a major warning. Science suggests a bigger shock may be ahead," he said.