Dhaka Trembles: A Shake Before the Storm?

A moderate earthquake that shook Dhaka and several other parts of the country at 10:38 am on Friday has sparked widespread anxiety among city residents, with many fearing the tremor could be a foreshock to a much stronger seismic event.The Bangladesh Meteorological Department recorded the quake at magnitude 5.7 with its epicentre in Madhabdi of Narsingdi, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured it at 5.5, locating the epicentre in Narsingdi.Tremors were reported from Chandpur, Nilphamari, Sitakunda, Sirajganj, Narayanganj, Patuakhali, Bogura, Barishal and Moulvibazar, triggering panic as buildings swayed, people rushed outdoors, and emergency phone lines became busier than usual. Many residents of high-rise apartments in Dhaka described the shaking as “sharp” and “frightening,” adding that it lasted long enough to cause alarm.But what has unsettled many even more is the speculation that Friday’s jolt may have been a foreshock — a smaller-magnitude earthquake that precedes a larger seismic ...

• 22 Nov 2025