Fear and Trauma Linger as Bangladesh Reels from November 21 Earthquake
By Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty
DHAKA: Many people in Bangladesh are still struggling to cope with the shock of the November 21 earthquake, their sense of security shaken far more deeply than the ground beneath them.
Experts warn that public awareness about earthquakes remains limited, and as a result, even a moderate tremor has dealt a heavy blow to the nation’s mental well-being. The burden was felt most acutely by women and children.
According to the Health Department, 680 people had received hospital treatment for earthquake-related injuries as of 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Doctors say that what troubles people most is not physical wounds but the creeping anxiety that has taken hold, worsened by four additional tremors in the 31 hours following the initial quake.
In the capital, many residents say they have been unable to sleep properly since the event. Nighttime brings fear instead of rest. Days feel longer, and their concentration is shattered.
Some families have begun preparing to leave Dhaka for the relative comfort of their village homes, seeking refuge from an unease they cannot shake. Psychiatrists report rising cases of excessive fear, sudden panic attacks, and severe sleep disturbances — clear signs of the psychological toll the disaster has left behind.
The 5.7-magnitude earthquake claimed at least 11 lives and injured more than five hundred others on November 21. But for thousands more, the aftershocks continue not in the earth, but in the mind.
