Political tensions between the Awami League-led Government and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led opposition parties have led to serious violent disorder since the end of February 2013. There have been regular enforced strikes, known locally as hartals, and more recently road, rail and waterway blockades. Demonstrations and protests have quickly turned violent and led to attacks on property and public transport, and especially the burning of buses. There have been frequent confrontations with law enforcement agencies. Hundreds of lives have been lost.
The situation may continue for some weeks. Opposition parties say they will boycott the general election announced for Sunday 5 January and death sentences may be carried out on political leaders convicted of offences in Bangladesh’s 1971 independence struggle. Travel in the cities and around the country may be severely disrupted.
If you are intending to travel to Bangladesh, even if you are a regular visitor with family or business links, you should not expect to be able to travel or go about your business normally. You should closely follow developments in the news media and consult this Travel Advice regularly. See Political situation
The BNP-led 18 Party Alliance has called a fresh countrywide road, rail and waterway blockade from 6am on Saturday 7 December to 6am on Friday 13 December.