Is Friday’s tremor a wake-up call for Bangladesh?

Just a day after a strong earthquake jolted Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh, a mild tremor was felt again on Saturday morning in Baipail, Savar, and outskirts of capital Dhaka worsening public concern over the capital’s seismic vulnerability.

According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), yesterday’s quake, measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale, was recorded at 10:36am.

But there were no reports of damage or casualties. However, the Friday morning’s earthquake shook almost the entire Bangladesh, including the capital believed to be the strongest ever felt to-date.

Experts had long warned about the possibility of such an earthquake. They believe that this quake is a wake-up call for Bangladesh.

At least 10 people were killed and scores injured when a 5.7-magnitude earthquake jolted Bangladesh. Of them, four died in Dhaka, five in Narsingdi and one in Narayanganj.

Reports also emerged of buildings leaning in Sutrapur’s Swamibagh and Kalabagan’s Abedkhali Road, causing further worries.

Bangladesh, according to experts, sits on the collision zone of major tectonic plates, crossed by several active fault lines, placing the country at high seismic risk.

The region has a long history of powerful earthquakes – five major quakes between 1869 and 1930 measured above 7.0 on the Richter scale.

The absence of strong earthquakes in recent decades should not be taken as reassurance, warning that this quiet period could be a precursor to a major event.

To them, seismic activity has increased in recent years. Of the 60 earthquakes detected since 2024, three had magnitudes above 4.0 and 31 ranged between 3.0 and 4.0. With rapid urbanisation and weak building standards, the country remains dangerously exposed. Dhaka is considered one of the world’s 20 most earthquake-vulnerable cities.

A 2018 assessment showed that many buildings in Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Pallabi, Rampura, Motijheel and Khilgaon do not meet proper structural and design requirements.

Meanwhile, Chattogram, the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sylhet’s Jaintiapur are among the highest-risk zones.

A major earthquake in any of these regions could trigger a catastrophic situation in Dhaka.

Under such circumstances, if a 6-magnitude earthquake strikes, many of Dhaka’s older structures are at serious risk of collapse.

Because of the country’s geological position as a delta and its proximity to active fault zones, experts warn that Sylhet, Chattogram, Tangail and Dhaka — all bordering seismic-sensitive regions — are highly vulnerable.

Earthquake disasters are not unpredictable act of nature. Timely information, community awareness and preparedness can help minimize damage and protect lives.

The government must act urgently to prevent a natural hazard from turning into a national catastrophe as it positioned at the juncture of several active tectonic plate boundaries.