S’poreans urged to postpone non-essential travel to Bangladesh as police enforce “shoot-on-sight” order

Singaporeans urged to postpone non-essential travel to Bangladesh

In light of the continuing unrest in Bangladesh, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Singapore issued a travel advisory on Saturday (20 July), urging Singaporeans to postpone all non-essential travel to the South Asian country.

The advisory follows a week of violent clashes between security forces and students, which have resulted in over 100 fatalities nationwide, according to Channel News Asia (CNA).

Curfew amid protest in Bangladesh

The tension escalated as members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police endeavoured to manage protestors outside the Bangladesh Television headquarters in Dhaka on 19 July.

The protests, led by students, have been centred around opposition to the controversial government job quotas, including a 30% reservation for war veterans’ families.

Following the surge of violence and protests, the Bangladesh government declared a nationwide curfew on 20 July, aiming to control the situation. Added to this, disruptions to internet services, mobile data networks, and public transportation have severely affected communication and movement within Bangladesh.

133 dead as police impose “shoot-on-site” order

According to Oriental Daily, the Bangladeshi police have reportedly received a “shoot-on-site” order from the authorities against protesters who violate the curfew.

The protests have so far claimed the lives of 133, with thousands more reported injured.

Authorities have attempted to curb the demonstrations, which have persisted for five days, through the military and the use of tear gas and sound grenades. In contrast, protesters have resorted to throwing bricks and setting vehicles ablaze.

Following this, the US government likewise issued a travel advisory to US citizens to postpone travel to Bangladesh.

According to NBC News, military forces are patrolling the capital and the US Embassy in Dhaka has called the situation “extremely volatile”.

MFA advises Singaporeans in Bangladesh to eRegister

The MFA advises Singaporeans currently in Bangladesh to stay vigilant, limit travel outside their homes, follow local news for updates, and comply with local authorities’ directives. Singaporeans are also encouraged to eRegister with the MFA if they haven’t already done so.

For those in need of consular assistance, Singaporeans in Bangladesh can reach out to the High Commission of the Republic of Singapore in Bangladesh through its 24-hour duty phone at +880-181-955-7146 or landline at +880-2-222-280-404.

Additionally, the MFA’s 24-hour duty office in Singapore is available at +65 6379 8800/6379 8855 for assistance.

Also read: S’pore On Countries Like Kuwait & Qatar’s Travel Advisory Watchlist Due To Coronavirus Spread

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Featured image adapted from AFP on Oriental Daily.