Dhaka, Nov. 21 -- At least six people, including two children, have died as a strong earthquake jolted Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh, prompting residents to flee buildings in panic.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said the tremor, which struck at 10:38am on Friday, had a magnitude of 5.7 and was centred about 13km from Dhaka at a depth of 10km.

The US Geological Survey put the magnitude slightly lower, at 5.5, and located the epicentre about 14km west-southwest of Narsingdi.

Earthquake specialist and retired Dhaka University geologist Prof Humayun Akhtar said the intensity of shaking felt during Friday's tremor was "the strongest in recent memory".

Six deaths were reported from incidents linked to the quake were later r...