US warns its citizens over traveling to Bangladesh
The United States has issued a comprehensive travel advisory for those planning to visit Bangladesh, due to 'risks of crime, terrorism, and the upcoming general election' here.
The US particularly asked its citizens to reconsider traveling Chattogram hill tracts due to 'occasional communal violence, crime, terrorism, kidnapping and other security risks.'
The US state department released the travel advisory on its website on Thursday.
Petty crimes and safety concerns
The US travelers have been cautioned about the prevalence of petty crimes, including pickpocketing in crowded areas. The advisory noted that major cities in Bangladesh have reported crimes such as muggings, burglaries, assaults, and illegal drug trafficking.
However, there is no indication that foreigners are being specifically targeted due to their nationality. These crimes tend to be situational, dependent on time and location.
Terrorist threats
The advisory also highlighted the possibility of terrorist attacks with little or no warning. The attacks may target public areas such as tourist destinations, transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, restaurants, places of worship, school campuses, and government facilities.
Concerns over upcoming general election
With the next general election in Bangladesh likely to take place before January 2024, political party rallies and other election-related activities have already begun. As the election date approaches, political rallies and demonstrations may be held with increasing frequency or intensity.
Hence, the US travelers have been urged to exercise vigilance and remember that demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.
Security concerns for US govt employees
Because of security concerns, the US government employees in Bangladesh are subject to some movement and travel restrictions. The US government may have limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in Bangladesh due to these travel restrictions, a lack of infrastructure, and limited host government emergency response resources.
Instructions
For its citizens in Bangladesh, the US suggested avoiding demonstrations and political gatherings, not physically resisting robbery attempts but rather seeking a safe area and reporting incidents to local authorities, enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Programme (STEP) of the US to receive alerts and aid in an emergency, following the state department on social media for updates, reviewing the Country Security Report for Bangladesh, checking the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information, and preparing a contingency plan for emergency situations and reviewing the Traveler's Checklist.