The US State Department said on Saturday it has raised Bangladesh’s travel advisory to level three, which urges people to reconsider travel to the Asian country due to what Washington described as “civil unrest” amid ongoing protests.
“Travelers should reconsider travel due to civil unrest in Dhaka. Ongoing demonstrations and violent clashes have been reported throughout the city of Dhaka, its neighboring areas, and throughout Bangladesh,” the US State Department said in a statement on Saturday.
“Due to the security situation, there may be a delay in provision of routine consular services,” it added.
The State Department also said that due to security concerns, US Embassy personnel in Bangladesh are subject to some movement and travel restrictions, which could limit their ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in Bangladesh.
The United States and Canada have called on Bangladesh to uphold the right to peaceful protest and expressed concern over violence that has occurred in the country in recent days.
Students have protested over public sector job quotas, which include a 30% reservation for family members of fighters from the 1971 War of Independence from Pakistan. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government would form a judicial committee to investigate the killings.
The quotas have caused anger among students who face high youth unemployment rates, with nearly 32 million young Bangladeshis not in work or education out of a total population of 170 million people.
