A 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck Bangladesh at 1:52pm on Friday, shaking Dhaka and other parts of the country and heightening public concern after a series of recent tremors.
It was the 10th earthquake recorded in the country within a month.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the quake measured 5.4 on the Richter scale and occurred at a depth of 9.8 kilometres. The epicentre was located in Ashashuni upazila of Satkhira district. The agency classified it as a moderate earthquake.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), however, recorded the magnitude at 5.3.
Tremors were felt not only in the capital but also across several districts in the south-western region, as well as in the neighbouring Indian state of West Bengal.
Indian broadcaster NDTV reported that residents in Kolkata rushed out of buildings as the ground shook. In Kolkata and adjoining districts, the quake was measured at around magnitude 5.
In Satkhira Sadar, Ashashuni and Tala upazilas, reports emerged of cracks in buildings, leaning mud houses and minor structural damage. In Pratapnagar union of Ashashuni upazila, cracks were reported in two mosques and a private residence, while two mud houses tilted, said Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Saiduzzaman Himu.
No major damage or casualties were immediately reported.
Experts say that although the south-western region has historically been considered relatively low-risk, recent tremors suggest that movements along smaller fault lines could trigger shallow, moderate earthquakes at any time.
They warned that the cluster of 10 earthquakes within a single month is alarming. Without improved preparedness and effective enforcement of building safety codes, even moderate tremors could escalate into major disasters.
Following Friday’s earthquake, the Satkhira district administration began collecting damage reports from the field. Authorities urged residents to remain calm but vigilant.
Soleman Rizbi, a local resident, told TIMES that he did not initially understand what was happening.
“The eight-storey building was swaying from side to side,” he said. “I ran outside shouting.” He added that no damage was reported in his area.
Professor Md Zillur Rahman of the Department of Disaster Science and Climate Resilience at Dhaka University said the earthquake was initially recorded at a depth of 9.8 kilometres, but reassessment could revise that figure to between 20 and 25 kilometres.
Earthquakes occurring at depths between zero and 35 kilometres are classified as shallow-focus, he explained.
“In shallow earthquakes, energy is released closer to the surface, so the shaking feels stronger,” he said.
He noted that Khulna and Satkhira are generally considered low seismic hazard zones, with no historical record of earthquakes exceeding magnitude 5.5. Dhaka is regarded as a moderate-risk zone, while Sylhet, Chattogram, Rangpur and Mymensingh are categorised as high-risk areas.
Bangladesh lies within a sedimentary basin, he said, with sediment layers measuring 10 to 15 kilometres in thickness, and up to around 22 kilometres in Sylhet. Beneath these layers, numerous small faults exist within the harder crust. In areas such as Satkhira and the Padma basin, faults measuring between 10 and 20 kilometres in length may be present.
Professor Adil Muhammad Khan, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, said the proposed Bangladesh Building Regulatory Authority – intended to enforce building code – has yet to be established.
Although an ordinance has been passed, he said, a fully operational legal framework remains absent.
He claimed that only 20 to 30 per cent of buildings in Dhaka could withstand an earthquake of magnitude 5 to 5.5. If the epicentre were near the capital, a quake measuring 6 or 6.5 could have devastating consequences.
A month of tremors
A series of earthquakes has been recorded across Bangladesh since the beginning of February, raising fresh concerns among residents and experts.
The month began on 1 February with a magnitude 3 tremor in south-eastern Sylhet. On 3 February, two earthquakes centred in Myanmar were felt in parts of the country, while a separate magnitude 4.1 quake was recorded in Kalaroa, Satkhira, early the same day.
Further tremors struck Sylhet on 9 and 10 February, measuring 3.3 and 4.0 respectively. On 19 February, another magnitude 4.1 earthquake originated in the Chhatak area of Sunamganj.
On Wednesday, 25 February, a magnitude 5.1 quake was recorded north-northwest of Monywa in Myanmar’s Sagaing region, and on Thursday a magnitude 3.7 tremor centred in Sikkim was felt in parts of Bangladesh.
The most recent and strongest tremor occurred in Satkhira on Friday.
Professor Md Zillur Rahman of Dhaka University said the region has a long seismic history. He referred to the devastating 1897 earthquake in the Shillong region, which exceeded magnitude 8, and the major 1762 Arakan earthquake.
He cautioned that the common belief that small earthquakes release energy and therefore reduce the likelihood of larger ones is not scientifically established. Whether minor tremors ease or increase future risk depends on the underlying geological structure, he said.
