US issues travel advisory for Bangladesh; asks Americans to reconsider travel

Washington: The US on Saturday issued a new travel advisory for Bangladesh, urging Americans to reconsider their travel to the South Asian country because of the ongoing civil unrest, crime and terrorism.

Authorities imposed a strict curfew across Bangladesh and military personnel patrolled parts of the capital on Saturday to quell further violence after days of clashes over the allocation of government jobs left more than 40 people dead and hundreds injured.

“Travellers should reconsider travel due to civil unrest in Dhaka. Ongoing demonstrations and violent clashes have been reported in Dhaka, its neighbouring areas, and throughout Bangladesh,” the US State Department said in its latest travel advisory.

The State Department raised the Travel Advisory Level for Bangladesh to Level 3 – Reconsider Travel, which replaces the previous Travel Advisory issued on October 12 last year.

According to the travel advisory, telecommunications have been interrupted in Dhaka and across the country. “Due to the security situation, there may be a delay in provision of routine consular services,” it said.

Travellers should be aware of petty crimes such as pickpocketing in crowded areas. Crimes such as muggings, burglaries, assaults, and illegal drug trafficking constitute the majority of criminal activity in Bangladesh’s major cities, but there are no indications foreigners are being targeted because of their nationality.

These crimes tend to be situational, based on time and location, the advisory said.

In its advisory, the State Department said attacks can happen with little or no warning, with terrorists targeting public areas such as tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, restaurants, places of worship, school campuses, and government facilities.

Because of security concerns, US Embassy personnel in Bangladesh are subject to some movement and travel restrictions.

The US government may have limited ability to provide emergency services to its citizens in Bangladesh due to these travel restrictions, a lack of infrastructure, and limited host government emergency response resources.

The State Department asked US nationals to take certain precautions in case they decide to travel to Bangladesh. These are avoiding demonstrations and political gatherings, monitoring local media for breaking events and being prepared to adjust plans.

“Do not physically resist any robbery attempt. Get to a safe area and report any criminal incident to local authorities. Enroll in the Smart Traveller Enrollment Programme (STEP) to receive alerts including updates on consular services so it is easier to locate you in an emergency," the State Department advisory said in its recommendations.