Traveler Toolkit
10/20/2025 | Report
Travel Advisory: Bangladesh - Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution)
7/31/2026 |
Report
Travel Advisory: Bangladesh - Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution)
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OSAC does not issue travel advisories. These notices are sourced from
travel.state.gov
Level 2: Exercise increased caution
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Exercise increased caution in Bangladesh due to unrest, crime, terrorism, and kidnapping. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Do not travel to:
- Chittagong Hill Tracts Region for any reason due to unrest, crime, terrorism, and kidnapping.
- Areas near the border with Burma and refugee camps near Cox’s Bazar for any reason due to unrest, crime, and kidnapping.
Advisory summary
Unrest
Protests can occur and turn violent without notice. Avoid all gatherings, even peaceful ones.
Crime
In Bangladesh’s major cities, common crimes include muggings, burglaries, assaults, and illegal drug trafficking.
Stay aware of petty crime in crowded areas, such as pickpocketing. These crimes tend to be based on time and location. There is no evidence that foreigners are targeted because of their country of origin.
Terrorism
There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other terrorist activity, in Bangladesh. Visit the U.S. Department of State’s country reports on terrorism to learn more
Kidnapping
There is risk of kidnapping in the Chittagong Hill Tracts Region, areas near the border with Burma, and refugee camps near Cox’s Bazar. Review the Risks in Specific Areas section to learn more.
Restrictions on movement for U.S. government employees
U.S. citizens in Bangladesh are advised to take similar precautions as U.S. government employees.
- U.S. government employees in Bangladesh must consult with the embassy security office before any overnight travel within Dhaka, or before any travel outside Dhaka for non-essential reasons. They must take appropriate security and accountability precautions during this travel.
The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Bangladesh, particularly outside of Dhaka. This is due to these travel restrictions, a lack of infrastructure, and limited emergency responses from the local government.
Risks in specific areas
Level: 4 – Do not travel
Chittagong Hill Tracts Region
Do not travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracts for any reason due to unrest, crime, terrorism, and kidnapping.
The Hill Tracts area includes Khagrachari, Rangamati, and Bandarban districts. Do not travel to this area for any reason.
- Kidnappings have happened in the region. Some are due to family disputes, while others target religious minorities.
- Separatist groups and political violence create more risks for visitors. There have been cases of IED explosions and active shootings.
- No travel is permitted to these areas without prior approval from the Bangladesh Ministry of Home Affairs.
- U.S. government employees in Bangladesh cannot travel to the region without obtaining permission from the Government of Bangladesh due to the risks. The Government of Bangladesh has imposed these travel restrictions.
- Visit our website Travel to High-Risk Areas .
Areas near the border with Burma, or refugee camps near Cox’s Bazar
Do not travel to the areas near the border with Burma, or refugee camps in the sub-districts of Ukhia and Teknaf near Cox’s Bazar due to unrest, crime, and kidnapping.
- Violence from the armed conflict in Burma sometimes crosses into Bangladesh.
- Violence sometimes occurs inside refugee camps, though there are no reports of foreign nationals being targeted.
- You must get prior approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs in Bangladesh if you want to travel to these areas.
- U.S. government employees in Bangladesh cannot travel to the region without approval from the Government of Bangladesh.
- Visit our website Travel to High-Risk Areas .
If you decide to travel to Bangladesh:
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get important updates and alerts from the U.S. embassy. Enrolling helps the U.S. embassy contact you or your emergency contact in an emergency.
- Review the Country Security Report for Bangladesh.
- There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Bangladesh. Visit the U.S. Department of State’s country reports on terrorism to learn more.
- Avoid demonstrations and political gatherings. Demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn violent.
- Review our information on U.S. Citizens Missing Abroad , Crime Abroad and for Victims of Crime . Have a plan to leave in an emergency that does not depend on U.S. government help. Review our information on Crisis and Evacuations .
- Review our information on Terrorism and Travel to High-Risk Areas .
- Monitor local media for breaking news. Be prepared to adjust your plans.
- Do not physically resist any robbery attempt. Get to a safe area and report any criminal incident to local authorities.
- Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for the latest Travel Health Information for Bangladesh.
- Whether you’re a first time or frequent traveler, use the International Travel Checklist .
- We highly recommend that you buy travel insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancelation coverage.