Dhaka and its surrounding districts have experienced four earthquakes within just 31 hours, raising urgent questions about what these successive tremors signify for a region long known to be seismically vulnerable.

From Friday morning to Saturday evening, the capital and nearby areas shook repeatedly—an alarming sequence that geological experts say is a fresh warning signal: Bangladesh is facing a high risk of a major earthquake.

Two Quakes in Two Seconds

On Saturday evening, Dhaka felt two back-to-back tremors. According to the Meteorological Department, the first quake struck at 6:06:04pm with a magnitude of 3.7. Just a second later, at 6:06:05pm, the second tremor followed, measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale.

The epicentre of the 3.7-magnitude quake was in Badda, while the 4.3-magnitude tremor originated in Narsingdi, officials said.

Earlier that same morning, at 10:36am, another moderate quake of 3.3 magnitude was recorded in Palash upazila of Narsingdi.

But the most powerful jolt occurred on Friday morning. At 10:38am, a 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook Dhaka, Narsingdi, Narayanganj and several other regions. The quake caused widespread panic and resulted in the deaths of 10 people, including a child, while more than 600 others were injured.

People leapt from buildings in fear; structures tilted; visible cracks appeared. Narsingdi saw the highest number of fatalities with five deaths, followed by four in Dhaka and one in Narayanganj.

What Do Four Consecutive Quakes Indicate?

Experts believe these small and moderate tremors could be precursors to a major seismic event. Bangladesh, they caution, sits on an active tectonic boundary where a large earthquake could strike at any time.

According to geologists, two major sources pose the highest threat of a large quake in Bangladesh:

The Dawki Fault—extending roughly 350 kilometres along the foothills of India’s Shillong Plateau, covering regions from Mymensingh to Jamalganj to Sylhet.

The eastern tectonic belt—stretching from Sylhet through Chattogram and the Chittagong Hill Tracts down to Teknaf, eventually connecting with Sumatra in Indonesia. Specialists consider this zone particularly dangerous.

Bangladesh’s tectonic setting places it at the intersection of three plates:

the Indian Plate to the west,

the Burma Plate to the east, and

the Eurasian Plate to the north.

Professor Syed Humayun Akhter, former faculty member of Dhaka University’s Geology Department and a noted earthquake expert, explained to the media that the Indian Plate is gradually moving eastwards, subducting beneath the Burma Plate beneath Chattogram and the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

This process has created a subduction zone—a notoriously dangerous one, he stressed—stretching from Sylhet to Teknaf. “There are various segments within this zone,” he said. “Our segment has accumulated strain equivalent to a magnitude of 8.2 to 9. This energy must be released.”

Regarding the recent quakes, Professor Humayun noted that the epicentre in Narsingdi’s Madhabdi lies exactly along the boundary where two plates meet. “The plate here was locked,” he said. “A very small portion was unlocked, which is why Friday’s earthquake occurred. This suggests that a major earthquake is at our doorstep.”

When a tiny amount of accumulated energy is released, it means that a path has opened for more energy to escape. This signals greater danger ahead,"

A History of Major Earthquakes

The region’s seismic past reinforces these warnings:

1897: Dawki Fault earthquake, magnitude 8.7

1762: Teknaf–Myanmar region earthquake, magnitude 8.5

1797: A major quake altered the course of the Brahmaputra River

1868 & 1922: Significant quakes of 7.5 and 7.6 in the Sylhet–Moulvibazar region

These historical events point to a long-standing pattern of seismic activity.

Why Dhaka Faces the Highest Risk

Experts emphasise that Dhaka is extremely vulnerable in the event of a large earthquake. The reasons are well known:

widespread violation of building codes, overcrowded neighbourhoods, narrow roads that impede emergency response,

inadequate rescue capacity, and low public awareness.

“The Madhabdi earthquake shows that the pathway for the major energy release is opening,” Professor Humayun warned. “Without immediate, effective action, Dhaka could turn into a city of death.”

Urgent measures—structural audits of vulnerable buildings, strict enforcement of construction codes, enhanced rescue and emergency response capabilities, and mass awareness programmes—are essential.

Warning Is Clear

Four tremors in 31 hours signal a rising danger. The likelihood of a major earthquake can no longer be dismissed or taken lightly. The earth has sent its message—now it is up to Bangladesh to act before it is too late.