LONDON: The UK government has updated its travel advisory for its citizens travelling to Bangladesh amid violence against religious minorities in the country.
The travel advisory warned of possible terror attacks in the South Asian Nation.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) reviewed the 'Safety and Security' section of its advisory for Bangladesh on Tuesday evening.
“Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Bangladesh. Terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals, such as crowded areas, religious buildings and political rallies,” the FCDO said in the updated advisory.
It added that there are reports that people having contrary beliefs and lifestyles to those of Islam are being targeted in Bangladesh.
“These have included improvised explosive device (IED) attacks in major cities. The Bangladeshi authorities continue to work to disrupt planned attacks. Increases in security force presence and restrictions on movement may be put in place at short notice,” the statement added.
Asking people to follow the advice of local authorities and avoid taking part in large gatherings, the UK government said residents should remain aware of their surroundings, "particularly in and around police buildings."
The FCDO advisory is a guidance on travel rather than a government-imposed regulation and could lead to travel insurance being invalidated if that advice is overlooked.
Visa services suspended
The Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala has suspended all visa and consular services indefinitely due to "security reasons."
This decision follows an incident the day before, when a group of protesters breached the premises in response to the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Dhaka.
In protest of the breach, the Bangladesh government summoned the Indian ambassador in Dhaka to express their concerns over the alleged vandalism.