Bangladesh Rocked by 5.5-Magnitude Earthquake Near Dhaka: Five Dead, Widespread Panic & Damage Reported

Bangladesh Rocked by 5.5-Magnitude Earthquake Near Dhaka: Five Dead, Widespread Panic & Damage Reported

A significant 5.5-magnitude earthquake rattled Bangladesh on Friday, November 21, 2025, sending shockwaves through the region, particularly near the capital city of Dhaka. The powerful tremor, which lasted approximately 26 seconds, tragically resulted in at least five confirmed fatalities and numerous injuries, according to government reports.

The Quake's Impact and Eyewitness Accounts

The seismic event, recorded by the US Geological Survey (USGS) at 10:38 am local time (04:38 GMT), caused widespread panic and structural damage across affected areas. Eyewitnesses recounted the terrifying moments as the ground violently shook.

Shadman Sakif Islam, a Dhaka resident, described his experience to Al Jazeera, recalling initially noticing “small ripples” in his coffee before a “massive shake that started occurring without any warning.” He vividly recounted being immobilized as his “chair and the table started shaking wildly,” a sensation he likened to “riding on a boat, riding massive waves one after another,” a feeling he had never encountered before.

Casualties and Geographic Reach

While the official death toll stands at five with around 100 injured, local media outlets have indicated potentially higher casualty figures, though these remain unconfirmed. Dhaka-based DBC Television reported at least six deaths in the capital, including three from a building roof and wall collapse, and three pedestrians struck by falling railings.

The earthquake's epicenter was identified in the Madhabdi district of Narsingdi, a city located just 33km (16 miles) from Dhaka. Narsingdi, known for its textile craft and garment industry, felt the quake's full force, with many buildings in Dhaka also sustaining damage. The tremors extended far beyond Bangladesh's borders, with residents in the Indian city of Kolkata, over 325km (about 200 miles) from the epicenter, also feeling the shaking. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in Kolkata.

Seismic Context of Bangladesh

Despite Bangladesh's proximity to the volatile boundaries of the Indian, Eurasian, and Burmese tectonic plates, significant earthquakes are not a frequent occurrence. The country is, however, seismically vulnerable. Recent history includes a 5.8-magnitude quake near Sylhet in northeastern Bangladesh in 2023, which caused no major damage or casualties. In 2021, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the India-Myanmar border, with tremors felt in Bangladesh's Chittagong and Cox's Bazar, also without confirmed deaths.

Al Jazeera's Tanvir Chowdhury, reporting from Dhaka, emphasized the severity of the recent event: “It was one of the biggest earthquakes in recent history and was very close to the capital city. The entire city was in panic. Social media videos have shown buildings shaking.”

Seismic magnitudes are calculated on a logarithmic scale, meaning each whole-number increase represents a tenfold increase in magnitude.