US urges its citizens not to travel to Bangladesh

The United States has escalated its travel advisory for Bangladesh, urging its citizens not to travel to the country due to civil unrest, crime, and terrorism. The US State Department has raised the travel advisory to ‘Level 4: Do Not Travel,’ and recommended the departure of non-emergency US government employees and their families.

Following the resignation and departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has experienced widespread violence, resulting in the deaths of over 100 people. The US State Department ordered the departure of non-emergency US government employees and their families on August 5, 2024.

It warned travelers against visiting Bangladesh due to ongoing civil unrest in Dhaka, where violent clashes have occurred, and the Bangladesh Army has been deployed nationwide. The Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka temporarily suspended operations on the same day. The travel advisory also highlighted the prevalence of petty crimes such as pickpocketing in crowded areas, as well as more serious crimes including muggings, burglaries, assaults, and illegal drug trafficking in major cities in Bangladesh.

However, there are no indications that foreigners are being targeted because of their nationality. The advisory emphasized that such crimes are situational and location-based. Furthermore, the advisory warned of the risk of terrorist attacks in Bangladesh, with terrorists potentially targeting public areas such as tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets, restaurants, religious sites, schools, and government facilities.

Due to security concerns, US Embassy personnel in Bangladesh are subject to movement and travel restrictions. The advisory also cautioned that 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.