How safe is Bangladesh?
Islamist militants have been blamed for a recent series of lethal attacks on religious minorities, notably Shia Muslims, secular bloggers, writers and gay men, whom the Sunni Muslim extremists consider to be heretics and blasphemers. More than 50 people have been killed in such attacks in the past three years. The usual weapons of choice are machetes and knives. Most of the victims have been Bangladeshis, not foreigners. But the pattern shifted in 2015, to the alarm of the country’s expatriate and international NGO community, when an Italian businessman was killed in Dhaka’s Gulshan diplomatic district, apparently at random. A Japanese national died in a separate attack.
What happened at the Holey Artisan Bakery Cafe in July?
The hitherto ugly but limited violence in Bangladesh hit the international headlines in a big way after 28 people, 20 of them foreigners, died in a hostage siege and shootout at the Holey Artisan Bakery in an area of Dhaka popular with westerners. The victims included several Italians and Japanese as well as other nationalities plus Bangladeshis. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Islamic State which said its “commandos” targeted the restaurant because it was “frequented by Crusaders” – its term for westerners. The details of the siege were particularly horrific, with individuals being singled out by the militants, reportedly tortured and then hacked to death.
Is cricket a target?
The international publicity given to the bakery atrocity is the single biggest reason why westerners may have been deterred from travelling to Bangladesh, whether for business, as tourists – or for sport. There is no evidence that the England players or fans are at any greater risk than anybody else and there have been no reports that they might be targeted. Nor have there been any specific, public threats to disrupt the Test and one-day series. Bangladeshis are keen cricket fans. They have no wish to end up exiled like Pakistan, which has been boycotted by the big cricketing nations for security reasons.
What is the risk to personal safety?
Islamic State has vowed to kill Britons, in part because of the UK’s involvement in the anti-Isis military campaign in Iraq and Syria. On the other hand, Bangladesh’s government denies Isis involvement, saying the killings were carried out by home-grown extremists egged on by its political opponents. It claims to be on top of the problem. Foreign visitors to Dhaka and rural areas are mostly assured of a warm welcome. Common sense safety precautions for visiting fans include asking hotels to provide guides or translators, obtaining a local mobile phone, using taxis or rickshaws if travelling any distance and avoiding walking at night. Visiting London or Paris, acknowledged terrorist targets, is probably potentially more hazardous than visiting Dhaka. But wherever you are, you only have to be unlucky once.
