Authorities in Narayanganj on Thursday declared six residential buildings “high risk” after a 5.7-magnitude earthquake caused multiple structures in Siddhirganj to tilt, triggering panic and forcing residents to flee their homes.
Engineers from RAJUK, the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) and other agencies inspected the damaged blocks throughout the morning and identified six buildings as unsafe. Warning signs marked with red symbols have been placed at their entrances.
Several buildings in Siddhirganj Housing and Bhoomipalli neighbourhoods leaned sharply to one side during the tremor, with three of them pressing against adjacent structures. Officials said all six buildings are now unfit for use until further assessment.
IEB vice president and civil engineer A.T.M. Tanvirul Hasan Tomal, who led part of the inspection, said the tilting was caused by soil settlement and inadequate piling, rather than structural cracks.
“We observed similar problems in all three damaged buildings, the soil has settled, leading to the tilt. There were no major cracks in the main structure but the foundation was weak. The piling was not deep enough at the time of construction, and that is the primary cause,” he told reporters.
Tomal said detailed measurements have been taken and a full technical report will be sent to RAJUK. He described the incident as a “serious example of construction flaws and failure in land preparation.”
RAJUK’s authorised officer for Narayanganj Zone-8, engineer Rangan Mondal, said the three tilted buildings have compromised the stability of three neighbouring ones.
“All six are now classified as hazardous. These buildings are not safe for entry or use. BUET and other technical agencies will conduct further examinations. Until they are declared safe, access is strictly prohibited,” he said.
Mondal added that many residents have already begun to evacuate voluntarily. The district administration, city corporation and Local Government Ministry have been informed for urgent action.
“Once the buildings are fully vacated, we will carry out another round of inspections and follow the directives of higher authorities,” he said.
Fear spread quickly across the neighbourhood as news of the leaning structures circulated. Families rushed to safer areas, with many reluctant to even re-enter their homes.
“One moment everything was normal and then we saw the building leaning to one side,” said one resident. “The shaking stopped, but the fear hasn’t.”
