B’desh quake: Ex-PM Hasina expresses grief, slams Yunus for ‘inactive’ relief efforts

Dhaka: Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and widespread destruction caused by the devastating earthquake that struck the country.

Her remarks came after a 5.7-magnitude earthquake reportedly killed at least 10 people and injured more than 200 across Bangladesh, causing widespread panic and structural damage.

“Many lives were lost, hundreds were injured, and the country has suffered immense damage due to the terrible earthquake that struck Bangladesh,” read a statement issued by the former PM, which was posted on the Awami League’s social media platform.

Expressing condolences for the victims and extending sympathy to the bereaved families, Hasina wished a swift recovery for those injured.

Slamming the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, she said, “This illegal occupying government has no accountability to the people, and that is why they are not actively working to ease the suffering of citizens. Instead, they are handing over the country and its national resources to foreigners.”

Highlighting the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters, Hasina added, “Bangladesh is a disaster-prone country. Keeping this in mind, the Awami League government has governed the state with policies of inclusive and sustainable development.”

The quake, which struck at 10:38 a.m. on Friday, measured 5.7 on the Richter scale according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, which identified its epicentre in Madhabdi, Narsingdi and described it as a moderate earthquake.

Following the earthquake, four people died in Dhaka, five in Narsingdi, and one in Narayanganj. In Dhaka, the fatalities occurred in Armanitola after the railing of a building’s roof collapsed, killing three people and injuring several others, reports the leading Bangladeshi newspaper, The Dhaka Tribune.

More than 200 people sustained injuries in Dhaka, Narsingdi and Gazipur. The Directorate General of Health Services confirmed that 10 injured people were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and 10 others to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital.

Several Dhaka University students were seriously hurt after leaping from buildings in panic, with at least 10 students injured, some requiring hospitalisation.

Reports from Dhaka indicated that minor cracks appeared in buildings across the capital, according to the local media.

Residents described the experience as unlike any tremor they had felt before, with many taking to social media to share photos and videos showing cracked walls, damaged floors and furniture scattered throughout their homes.