Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade updated its Smartraveller advisory for Bangladesh on 18 November, retaining the ‘Reconsider your need to travel’ level and warning of heightened civil-unrest and terrorism risks in the lead-up to the country’s January elections. The notice highlights daily protests, army deployments across major cities and an uptick in low-yield IED attacks.
Australian officials note that foreign nationals have occasionally been caught in violent hartals (strikes) and that road blocks and train disruptions are common. The High Commission in Dhaka has restricted staff from using public transport and recommends private security escorts for road travel outside the capital. Travellers are also reminded that visas on arrival are discretionary and can involve lengthy processing times in periods of unrest.
![DFAT maintains ‘Reconsider travel’ alert for Bangladesh amid nationwide unrest]()
While Bangladesh is not a primary destination for business travel, Australian mining, apparel-sourcing and NGO staff make frequent short-term visits. Duty-of-care managers should therefore reassess travel approvals, ensure evacuation plans are current and verify that insurance policies cover civil-unrest and terrorism contingencies. Organisations with expatriate staff should stock extra supplies ahead of possible transport shutdowns during nationwide strikes.
The advisory emphasises health risks too: dengue cases remain above average, and medical facilities outside Dhaka are limited. Travellers should carry own medication, insist on bottled water and consider FIFO (fly-in/fly-out) rostering to avoid overnight stays in regional areas.
Australian officials note that foreign nationals have occasionally been caught in violent hartals (strikes) and that road blocks and train disruptions are common. The High Commission in Dhaka has restricted staff from using public transport and recommends private security escorts for road travel outside the capital. Travellers are also reminded that visas on arrival are discretionary and can involve lengthy processing times in periods of unrest.
While Bangladesh is not a primary destination for business travel, Australian mining, apparel-sourcing and NGO staff make frequent short-term visits. Duty-of-care managers should therefore reassess travel approvals, ensure evacuation plans are current and verify that insurance policies cover civil-unrest and terrorism contingencies. Organisations with expatriate staff should stock extra supplies ahead of possible transport shutdowns during nationwide strikes.
The advisory emphasises health risks too: dengue cases remain above average, and medical facilities outside Dhaka are limited. Travellers should carry own medication, insist on bottled water and consider FIFO (fly-in/fly-out) rostering to avoid overnight stays in regional areas.
