The United States Department of State has raised the travel alert for Bangladesh to level four this Saturday and has asked its citizens not to travel to the country “due to civil unrest, crime and terrorism”, within the framework of the protests against the quota system for civil servants in the country, which have resulted in more than a hundred deaths since Monday.
The Department authorized this Saturday “non-emergency voluntary departure of US Government employees and their families” and reiterated that “travelers should not travel to Bangladesh due to ongoing civil unrest in Dhaka.”
In a statement, Washington recalled that “demonstrations and violent clashes have been reported” throughout the capital and its surroundings, that the authorities have declared a curfew and ordered its inhabitants to remain in their homes and that the Army has left to the streets across the country to reinforce the Police.
“Telecommunications have been interrupted in Dhaka and throughout the country. Due to the security situation, there may be a delay in the provision of routine consular services,” the Department has acknowledged, indicating that “the staff of the Embassy of The United States in Bangladesh is subject to some movement and travel restrictions for security reasons.
Regarding possible “terrorist attacks,” the advisory notes that “they may occur with little or no warning” and that “terrorists typically target public areas such as tourist sites, transportation hubs, markets or shopping malls, restaurants, places of worship, campuses schools and government facilities.
Likewise, the US Executive has warned of the risk of “petty crimes, such as theft in crowded areas”, noting that “assaults, robberies and illegal drug trafficking constitute the majority of criminal activity in the main cities of Bangladesh.”
“The U.S. Government may have limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Bangladesh due to these travel restrictions, the lack of infrastructure, and the host government’s limited emergency response resources,” the Department concluded. , while issuing a list with some recommendations for those who decide to travel to the Asian country.
Avoid political demonstrations and meetings, follow local news, do not physically resist any attempted robbery, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) or review the country’s security reports are some of the advice offered from Washington to make your stay in Bangladesh safer.
