Warden Message: Bangladesh Protests December 30 and January 1

Consular Affairs Bulletins

South / Central Asia - Bangladesh
29 Dec 2005

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U.S. Embassy Dhaka released the following Warden Message on December 29, 2005:

Police sources have confirmed the following public demonstrations are planned for December 30 2005 & January 1, 2006:

December 30, 2005

Hijbut Tahrir of Bangladesh will hold a protest demonstration at the Baitul Mukarram Mosque North Gate after the Juma Prayer at 14:00 hours. 

Hajj Association of Bangladesh will hold a rally at the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after juma prayers in protest of the mismanagement of Hajj pilgrims. 

Anti- Jammat e Islami Islamic Groups will hold a protest demonstration at the Muktangan area at 15:00 hours to protest the comments made by Jammat e Islami Bangladesh at their Public Meeting on December 28. Police advise to avoid the following downtown areas during these rallies: Muktangan, Purana Paltan, Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Press Club. 

January 1, 2006

The Awami League & its allies will stage demonstrations across the country on January 1 for the immediate resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner MA Aziz and also to halt the CEC's unilateral voter list preparation. In Dhaka the protest will be staged at 11:00 hours in front of the Chief Election Commissioners office at Sher e Bangla, Dhaka. In other districts the demonstration will take place in front of the district commissioner's office (district administrator). 

Police advise to avoid the following downtown areas during these rallies: Sher-e-Bangla Nagar (near Agargaon IDB Bhaban). 

We wish to remind American Citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn violent. American Citizens are urged to avoid these areas if possible, and to exercise caution whenever they are in the vicinity of demonstrations. We advise all Americans to avoid large public gatherings, especially if an incident has just occurred. 

The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka can be reached at (880-2) 885-5500 during regular hours and for after-hours emergencies. Our website address is http://www.dhaka.usembassy.gov/. For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov/, where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Bangladesh Consular Information Sheet, Public Announcements for Bangladesh, as well as other Public Announcements and Travel Warnings can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S.; or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays)