Travel Information

Warden Message, December 22, 2005

Police sources have confirmed that there will be several demonstrations planned for Friday, December 23, 2005:

The International Khatme Nabuyat Movements Bangladesh will organize an anti-Ahmediya demonstration around the Muktangan at 1500 hours on Friday and they have planned to march towards the central mosque of Ahmediya community at Bakshi Bazar near Engineering University & Dhaka Board and stage a demonstration.

Dhaka metropolitan police have assured that the protesters will not be allowed to march towards Bakshi Bazar Mosque to stage any demonstrations.

Also on Friday at 1500 hours, The Hizbut Tahrir Bangladesh and Islamic Constitutional Movements will organize anti-western demonstrations around the north gate of Baitul Mukarram national mosque in protest of the prophet Mohammad's portrait published in a news magazine in Denmark last week with objectionable comments.

The Khatme Nobuyat Bangladesh, a non-political Islamic group opposed to the Ahmediyas will organize a demonstration around the Baitul Mukarram national mosque in support of their demands to ban activities of Ahmediya and declare them non-Muslim.  They are planning to carry out a procession towards the Ahmediya mosques in the Bakshi Bazar & Tejgaon Industrial area.

Police have advised to avoid the following downtown areas during these demonstrations: Muktangan, Purana Paltan, Baitul Mukarram national Mosque, Press Club, Tejgaon Industrial area and Bakshi Bazar.

We wish to remind American Citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn violent.  American Citizens are urged to avoid these areas if possible, and to exercise caution whenever they are in the vicinity of demonstrations.  We advise all Americans to avoid large public gatherings, especially if an incident has just occurred.

The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka can be reached at (880-2) 885-5500 during regular hours and for after-hours emergencies. Our website address is dhaka.usembassy.gov.  For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Bangladesh Consular Information Sheet and other Public Announcements and Travel Warnings can be found.  Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S.; or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays)


U.S. Embassy
Dhaka, Bangladesh