US asks its citizens not to travel to Bangladesh

Washington: The United States has recommended that its citizens do not travel to Bangladesh and allowed the voluntary departure of its non-emergency government employees and family members in view of the ongoing civil unrest in the South Asian country.

The development comes just a day after the US issued a new travel advisory for Bangladesh, urging Americans to reconsider their travel to the strife-torn country.

Authorities in Bangladesh has imposed a strict curfew across the country and military personnel patrolled parts of the capital to quell further violence after days

of clashes over the allocation of government jobs left more than 40 people dead and hundreds injured.

The US Department of State raised the Travel Advisory Level for Bangladesh to Level 4 -- ‘Do Not Travel’.

“Do not travel to Bangladesh due to civil unrest, crime, and terrorism,” the State Department said, adding, “The department allowed for the voluntary

departure of non-emergency US government employees and family members.”

“The Government of Bangladesh has declared a curfew throughout Bangladesh, ordering everyone to stay indoors.

The Bangladeshi Army has been deployed throughout the country to reinforce the police.

Telecommunications have been interrupted in Dhaka and across the country.

Due to the security situation, there may be a delay in provision of routine consular services,” the advisory

stated.