Bangladesh woke up to fresh anxiety on Saturday after a low-magnitude aftershock rippled through Ashulia, just north of Dhaka, barely a day after a stronger 5.5-magnitude earthquake shook the capital region and claimed at least 10 lives. Officials say hundreds were injured, homes cracked like old pottery, and nerves across the country are stretched thin.
According to disaster management authorities, the death count rose to 10 on Saturday as emergency teams continued assessing Friday’s destruction. The first quake, felt across Dhaka and several neighbouring districts, rattled buildings, broke glass, and sent residents rushing outdoors in panic.
Meteorologists confirmed that the new tremor — a 3.3-magnitude jolt recorded at 10:36 a.m. local time — was centered in Ashulia. Though mild, the aftershock magnified fears that the worst might not be over. Experts say such follow-up tremors are normal, but in a densely populated country of 170 million, “normal” still feels like a warning shot.
For locals living near the epicentre, the ground hasn’t stopped shaking psychologically.
“I don’t feel safe yet,” said 44-year-old Shahnaj Parvin, describing how she held onto a tree as her home shook and later discovered that her glassware had shattered. Cracks now run through dozens of houses in her neighbourhood — visible reminders of how fragile safety can be.
Authorities have activated Bangladesh’s national emergency operations centre to coordinate rescue efforts, inspect structural damages, and prepare for possible additional tremors. Specialists at the Earthquake Observation and Research Center say Bangladesh’s geological position makes frequent quakes almost inevitable, even though the country hasn’t experienced a massive one in more than a century.
Still, Friday’s quake — and Saturday’s aftershock — have revived difficult questions about preparedness, infrastructure strength, and how quickly a normal day can turn into chaos.
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