The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the UK government has advised British people living in Bangladesh against all but essential travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The notice on the UK government website said it does not include the city of Chittagong or other parts of Chittagong Division.

The notice reads there is a high threat from terrorism in Bangladesh. There have been a number of terrorist attacks since September 2015, including the murders of two foreign nationals and the attempted murder of an Italian priest. In addition there have been two attacks on the Shia community in which three people have died and a knife attack at a police checkpoint in Dhaka in which one police officer was killed. An apparent suicide bombing took place in an Amadiyya mosque in Rajshahi, injuring a number of people. Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL) has claimed responsibility for all of these attacks.

Further attacks targeting westerners may occur and could be indiscriminate. You should be particularly vigilant, consider your movements carefully and take appropriate security precautions. Keep a low profile in all public spaces and limit your attendance at events where westerners may gather, for example in hotels or conference centres, it added.

Focusing on the municipal polls, the notice said there is continuing tension between the government and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led alliance, which may increase ahead of the Municipal Elections taking place across the country on 30 December. Protests and demonstrations can quickly turn violent and lead to clashes with law enforcement agencies. Violent attacks, incidents of arson, and vandalism can suddenly break out across the country, mainly in towns and cities.