A moderate 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook Dhaka on Friday (21 November) morning, exposing the fragile condition of Dhaka University’s (DU) century-old residential halls.
The tremor caused new cracks in multiple buildings, sending students fleeing in panic and prompting experts to warn of potentially catastrophic consequences if a stronger earthquake occurs.
Visible structural damage was reported in at least eight halls, including Salimullah Muslim Hall, Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall, Sir A F Rahman Hall, Bijoy Ekattar Hall, Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, Kabi Jasimuddin Hall and Shamsunnahar Hall. Several students reportedly sustained injuries during the quake.
Many of these buildings, such as Shahidullah Hall, Mohsin Hall and Salimullah Hall, were declared uninhabitable by the university’s engineering section in 2014. Despite this, students continue to live in them, as promised repairs and new construction projects remain delayed.
"A large crack has appeared above the door of my room. Living in these 100-year-old buildings means living with constant fear of death," said a resident of Shahidullah Hall.
Students have criticised the university administration for constructing multistorey buildings on campus without addressing the urgent need for safe student housing. They are calling for a "student-first" approach that prioritises safety and welfare.
Bangladesh sits at the junction of three active tectonic plates – the Indian, Eurasian and Burma plates – making it highly earthquake-prone. Data from the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) and JICA show a rising trend of seismic activity: 28 earthquakes in 2017, 41 in 2023 and 54 in 2024. Historical records indicate that major quakes occur roughly every 100 years, with a magnitude 7 earthquake potentially collapsing over 72,000 buildings in Dhaka and affecting more than 20 million residents. A magnitude 9 event could devastate over 100,000 buildings, potentially rendering Old Dhaka uninhabitable.
Professor Dr Md Badruddoza Mia, Chairperson of DU’s Geology Department, explained that Dhaka’s dense population and varied subsurface rock layers amplify earthquake risk. "Today’s quake occurred very close to Dhaka, about 35 km away in Narsingdi. That’s why its impact was felt strongly here," he said.
Professor Mia stressed that many DU halls, some 60-80 years old, have exceeded their structural lifetime and show damage even without seismic activity.
He highlighted the need for earthquake preparedness, citing Japan’s regular drills and earthquake-resistant buildings as examples. "Shahidullah Hall and Mohsin Hall were declared uninhabitable in 2014, yet students still live there. Repairs or reconstruction should have been completed long ago," he added.
He called for regular safety drills in all university halls and enhanced disaster education at the school level, noting that previous earthquake lessons have been removed from many textbooks.
"Teaching children about disasters from school onwards can significantly improve nationwide awareness," Professor Mia concluded.
NRE/AM
