Is Bangladesh a safe place for a backpack traveler?

single alone backpack girl from abroad in bangladesh

Safety is a subjective, as well as situational term. Let’s go through some general Q&A before confronting the question asked:

Is it safe to roam around Bangladesh with only a backpack? Definitely yes.

• Is it safe to roam around Dhaka city (the capital) late in the night? Not really.
• Will you get bombed by terrorists as soon as you land ? Not at all
• Are there terrorists/extremists in Bangladesh? Definitely, yes. But they are getting captured and weeded out.
• Is it safe for a woman to wear revealing clothes? Yes, but not everywhere.
• Can you drink alcohol? Yes, there are many registered bars, and most big hotels also serve it.
• Can you drink alcohol as and when you want? No, public drinking is prohibited, and you won’t find it in regular shops.
• Is it okay to get intimate with your partner? Yes, you can do whatever you want in your own, private time and place.
• Is it allowed to show public display of affection? To a certain extent, yes.

You have to understand that Bangladesh is a Muslim country, and a lot of people are conservative. So as long as you are choosing safe times and routes to travel, and avoid provocative activities, you should do fine.

No one can do anything about divine intervention. The fallen Japanese and Italian nationals who were having dinner at Holy Artisan were very, very unlucky. It was a sad and gruesome incident; and it was also unprecedented. Since then, the government has been extra cautious in providing security to both our countrymen and our foreign guests.

I cannot assure you absolute security, but in general, Bangladesh is a safe place, and we are very respectful and friendly towards our guests.

Ishtiaque Khan, lives in Bangladesh