Bangladesh will vote in a general election on the 30th of December, with campaigning set to start on Monday 10th Decemeber. There has been tension and unrest surrounding previous votes, so travellers should remain aware of heightened volatility at this time.
In the lead up to national elections in late 2018, the Government of #Bangladesh is increasing its security presence throughout the country. Avoid demonstrations and other political gatherings, as they may turn violent. https://t.co/zruMbOjbZD
— Smartraveller (@Smartraveller) November 25, 2018
Travel advice
If you are in the area, please consider the following –
- Avoid demonstrations and large crowds. Be aware violence could occur without warning.
- Review your travel risk management plan, so you know what to do in an emergency.
- Make sure you have the contact information of your travel insurance company and your local embassy stored in a secure offline location.
- Monitor local media. If you are using Twitter to search, add the term ‘filter:verified’ to the search bar to see results from verified accounts only.
- If possible, set aside some supplies of food and bottled water.
- Keep your devices charged.
- Check in with friends and family.
- If something does happen, contact the local embassy as soon as it is safe to do so.
Headlines and news coverage
If history is any guide, Bangladesh is about to face an escalation of violence ahead of its Dec. 30 election. https://t.co/YiblqpHj74
— U.S. Institute of Peace (@USIP) December 3, 2018
Syed Abul Maqsud, a columnist and civic rights activist, says the #Election Commission is under an “invisible pressure” and therefore, it is failing to perform properly.#bdpolls2018 #Bangladesh https://t.co/VcjL0x6VKX
— The Daily Star (@dailystarnews) December 6, 2018
Election APF | Stay tuned for more #election updates & news abt the world’s 8⃣ most populous country over the next few months as part of #APFCanada’s #Bangladesh Election Watch initiative. #ElectionAPF pic.twitter.com/gwonkkN0p7
— APF Canada (@AsiaPacificFdn) December 5, 2018
US to send observers to Bangladesh election amid opposition concerns https://t.co/Ks1OgkHYds pic.twitter.com/Mw3vTM542T
— Channel NewsAsia (@ChannelNewsAsia) December 1, 2018
Official travel advice
A very brief overview of official travel advice for Bangladesh. Click through on the links to read the advisories in full.
US State Department |
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UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office |
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Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
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New Zealand’s Safe Travels |
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Government of Canada |
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Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
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From the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office –
Voting in the Bangladesh national election is scheduled to take place on 30 December 2018, with formal campaigning due to begin on 10 December. Rallies with the potential for disorder, or clashes between groups and with law enforcement agencies, may take place throughout this period. You’re advised to avoid large gatherings and political rallies.
Please click through here for the full advisory.
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