Canada issues new travel advisory for Bangladesh

Photo: Collected

The Canadian government has advised its citizens to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling to Bangladesh, with the Department of Foreign Affairs citing an unstable security situation, the threat of terrorist attacks, significant health risks and restrictive local laws in an updated travel advisory.

According to the advisory, Bangladesh's security climate has remained volatile since July 2024, with protests and political gatherings liable to erupt into violence at any moment, potentially disrupting businesses and transportation networks. Canadian citizens have been advised to avoid all travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracts, where clashes between armed groups and the risk of kidnapping persist, while access to the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar remains tightly restricted. The advisory further warns of a heightened risk of terrorist attacks in Dhaka, noting that hotels, places of worship and tourist sites have previously been targeted, and cautions foreign women in particular against travelling alone after dark.

Health risks feature prominently in the warning, with typhoid, hepatitis and dengue fever cited as ongoing concerns, compounded by medical facilities that may prove inadequate in many parts of the country. Canadian authorities noted that patients suffering serious illness or injury may need to be evacuated to Singapore or Thailand for adequate treatment. The advisory also draws attention to Bangladesh's legal framework, warning that drug-related offences can carry the death penalty as a maximum sentence.

Additional restrictions flagged in the advisory include a prohibition on alcohol consumption for Muslims and constraints on photographing government installations, underscoring the breadth of legal and cultural considerations travellers are urged to observe. The advisory reflects Ottawa's broader effort to keep citizens informed amid Bangladesh's continuing political and social transition.

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