Bangladesh: Overview

Travel Warning: Political Tension - Regional Unrest

Political riots across the country in August 2007 created an uncertain security situation. Peaceful polls were held in August 2008 but travellers should still exercise caution, particularly in Dhaka, where gatherings of more than five people are banned. A state of emergency has been in effect since January 2007.

The safety situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts is constantly changing. Reliable information is hard to find, but find it you must. In the absence of a centralised information source, it is difficult to canvas an accurate picture between travel-advisory overstatements and tourist-operator understatements. There's no doubt the Hill Tracts can be very dangerous, and you should always check newspapers and government-advisory websites before setting out there. But don't let the exaggerations, conspiracy theories and dangers of the Chittagong Hill Tracts dissuade you from putting in the time and effort to get a balanced understanding of what is happening. It's well worth your while, not just for your own safety but also as a means of subverting attempts to keep foreigners unaware of injustices being perpetrated.

severity: High-level alert