US urges citizens not to travel to B'desh amid unrest after Hasina's exit

The United States on Tuesday recommended its citizens not to travel to Bangladesh, witnessing civil unrest, crime, and terrorism following the resignation and fleeing of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Elevating its travel advisory to the highest Level 4: Do Not Travel' category, the US State Department has also recommended the departure of non-emergency US government employees and family members.

Over 100 people have been killed in the violence across Bangladesh as chaos reigned supreme hours after Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled the country on Monday, amid signs of a return to normalcy.

On August 5, 2024, the Department ordered the departure of non-emergency US government employees and family members. Travellers should not travel to Bangladesh due to ongoing civil unrest in Dhaka, the State Department said in its advisory.

Violent clashes have occurred in the city of Dhaka, its neighbouring areas, and throughout Bangladesh, and the Bangladesh Army is deployed nationwide. Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport temporarily paused operations on August 5. Travellers should check with their airlines to confirm the status for future flights, the travel advisory said.

Travellers should be aware of petty crimes such as pickpocketing in crowded areas, the advisory said, adding that 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, it said.

According to the travel advisory, terrorist 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 US citizens in Bangladesh due to these travel restrictions, a lack of infrastructure, and limited host government emergency response resources, it added.