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Dhaka: A powerful earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale struck Dhaka and surrounding regions on Friday, resulting in the deaths of at least four individuals, including a newborn. The quake caused significant structural damage, ignited fires in multiple locations, and instilled fear among the local populace.

According to officials, three fatalities occurred in Dhaka, while the fourth was reported in Narayanganj, a nearby river port town. Local media indicated that around 50 individuals sustained injuries across the nation.

The earthquake's epicenter was located in Narsigndi, on the northeastern outskirts of Dhaka, at a depth of 10 kilometers, as reported by the meteorological department. This site is approximately 13 kilometers east of the seismic center in Dhaka's Agargaon area.

Mallik Ahsan Uddin Sami, the deputy police commissioner of Dhaka, stated that three individuals lost their lives when debris, including bamboo scaffolding and a railing from a five-story building, collapsed on them in the Armanitola area of Old Dhaka.

A bystander at the scene suffered critical injuries, and it was confirmed that one of the deceased was a medical student who had accompanied his mother to purchase meat. She is currently in critical condition and requires emergency surgery.

Reports from local media indicated that one of the deceased was an unidentified eight-year-old child.

In Narayanganj, a tragic incident occurred when a newborn baby died while being held by her mother as they walked near a wall that collapsed during the quake.

In the Swamibagh area of Sutrapur, an eight-story building was reported to have tilted against another structure due to the earthquake, while a seven-story building in Kalabagan appeared to be leaning, although fire officials confirmed it remained structurally intact.

A fire erupted in a residence in the upscale Baridhara area of Dhaka shortly after the quake, but firefighters could not immediately determine if it was earthquake-related.

Another fire was reported in a residential building in the Gazaria area of suburban Munshiganj, where the fire service promptly responded to extinguish the flames.

The Prothom Alo newspaper reported that over 50 individuals were injured across three districts surrounding Dhaka.

Experts have long warned of a significant earthquake risk in Bangladesh due to its position on active tectonic plate boundaries, with many suggesting that a major quake is inevitable, although it may take decades to occur.

Professor Mehedi Ahmed Ansary, an earthquake expert from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), stated that a tremor of magnitude 6 could lead to the collapse of most buildings in the country.

He emphasized that this recent tremor serves as a crucial warning for Bangladesh.