Assalam aleikum,

Hello Bangladesh Travellers. We hope this website haas helped enrich your experience here, and helped you understand the many facets this country has to offer.

Overcrowded Train by Md. Akhlas Uddin

We’re back in Bangladesh because Bradt guides has requested that we come back here and update my guide. But we’re also back here now because we need your help sharing a new story about Bangladesh.

It’s a human story, a story about resiliency and opportunity. It’s my story of Bangladesh.

When most people think of Bangladesh, they think of poverty, struggle and corruption. But when we think of this country, we see so much more.

We see the vibrant colours of the Srimongol’s tea fields. We see the spectacular riverine landscapes of the Ganges Delta.

We see a story of human resiliency that inspires me, and makes me want to show others the **non-material** history, nature and wealth of this extraordinary nation.

That’s why, with your help, we want to create a new social enterprise called Crowdsourced Travel.

Instead of perpetuating Bangladesh’s negative image, we want to re-introduce it as a new frontier in travel development.

Well-managed tourism is a positive economic force to be reckoned with. It creates jobs, promotes cultural exchange and protects nature. Bangladesh is the perfect place to promote this style of tourism.

***To start this venture, my team and I need your help. We’re asking you to help us crowdfund the capital we need to get started.

Our first goal is to create a crowdsourced coffee table photography book on Bangladesh, the first of its kind.

We need just $15,000 to produce this book, and we’ve already raised $5,000. But with $45,000 we can execute our full vision — which is to create a new social tourism business in Bangladesh. A business that promotes the best tourism operators and helps them reach responsible travellers more easily.

More funding means we’ll be able to create open source tools and content that will promote sustainable travel. And if we make our full funding goal we’ll have just enough to produce a documentary web series that will seal the deal.

In return for your support, you’ll receive some fantastic photographic products from Bangladesh, and the knowledge that you are helping to show the rest of the world a positive story about this country, one that could create new economic opportunities through tourism.

Bangladeshi people deserve this opportunity, so please help us show Bangladesh to the world.

Thank you for listening to these podcasts. If you can, please pledge to support us our crowdfunding website.

Bangladeshe Bondhu, Ami Bangladeshke bhalobhashi, apni-o Bangladeshke Bhalobhashen, tai amake shahaj korun.

Are you getting ready to go to Bangladesh? Then the “Practical Information” chapter is what you need to get ready.

Once you get to Bangladesh, you’ll discover that information is hard to find. But with the information inside this preparation chapter, you’ll have everything you need to feel ready to take on the challenge of travelling to Bangladesh. More information below:

As we’ve stated on this blog before, Mahmud is one of the most established photographers that Bangladesh has to offer, and with a long trail of successful publications behind him, supported by a dozen of international development agencies, his work is one you want to know and watch.

He’s launching a new book, entitled “Every Day is Another Day”, which according to its cover, is a historical look back at some of his best black and white work. Mahmud normally has these events at his home, if you’re interested in coming please RSVP by phone or e-mail first. The details:

Flat 4B; House 2D;
Road 73G; Gulshan 2; Dhaka.

Feb 06, 2010, Saturday
3 pm – 6 pm

phone: 01715 75 94 63
mahmudmap@yahoo.co.uk

We always heard about this mysterious, but hard to find yoga workshops held in Dhaka — we might have even joined some if I’d heard about it ahead of time. But finally we’re able to offer some information a little bit ahead of time here to you, the Joybangla.info readers.

The Art Of Living “Healing Breath” workshop is going to be held over the evenings and Friday of next week, and an orientation session held Friday 8 Jan from 5-7pm. We’ve heard the instructors come from India.

Full flyer available at this link.

Basic details here:
Date & Time: 10th Jan to 15th Jan
10th to 14th Jan.- 6 pm to 9.30 pm
15th Jan.—10 am to 6 pm

Orientation & Registration: 8th Jan Friday 5 to 7 pm
Venue: Pearl Fashion Institute, House 11, Road 6, Baridhara

For more details contact: Sajeev: 01713083639, Rafi: 01841070707

Enjoy the peace and energy of yoga!

Mosque today
Photography – Architecture – History
04-18.January2010 – Sun – Thur. 10.00-19.00
Inauguration on Monday 04.01.20010 at 17.00

PHOTO EXHIBITION: Mosques in Germany by Wilfried Dechau, Stuttgart/Germany

Approximately 3.5 million Muslims are currently living in Germany and since the 70s almost 2600 Islamic sacral buildings have been created all over the country. German mosques today are symbolizing a decades-long history of immigration but also it’s omissions. They demonstrate the presence and self-confidence of Muslim immigrants in Germany: We are building because we want to stay! This unsettles the way the majority of Germans sees itself and the way it is seen by the Islamic minority, stimulation debate on the position of Muslims within Germany society and the importance accorded them by the majority. The Stuttgart based photographer Wilfried Dechau has travelled through Germany, not only to take pictures of mosques buildings and their interior architecture but also of their socio-political context

PHOTO EXHIBITION: Contemporary Mosques of Bangladesh by Hasan Saifuddin Chandan/Bangladesh

The most famous mosques of Dhaka are the ones from the Mughal and pre-Mughal period but who takes attention on the beautiful new sacral buildings influenced by the architecture of the 50s, 60s and later modern architectural trends. Renowned photographer Hasan Saifuddin Chandan not only captured the structure and interior design of these buildings in his photographic lenses but also the different spheres of life which is linked with mosques today.

PHOTO DOCUMENTATION: Historical Mosques of Bangladesh by Babu Ahmed/Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a rich heritage of Mosque architecture. Erection of Mosque started in Bengal just after the arrival of the Muslims in 1204 CE .The Historical Mosques of Bangladesh could be divided in three major part, on the basis of their architectural style. They are – 1.Mosques of Sultani Period (1204 CE-1576 CE) 2. Mosques of Mughal Period (1576 CE – 1757 CE) 3. Mosques of Colonial Period (1757 CE- 1947 CE). The TRADITIONAL PHOTO GALLERY (TPG) gathered examples of each style in this exhibition. Most of these monuments are nowadays in a quite poor and neglected condition and need urgently preservation and restoration. Babu Ahmed founder of the TRADITIONAL PHOTO GALLERY (TPG) aims to uphold and present these mosques to the world through his photo documentation on historical mosques of Dhaka

VIRTUAL PHOTO EXHIBITION: Architecture and mosques in Bangladesh by Saif Ul Haque/Bangladesh

This will be a digital presentation of few selected contemporary mosques in Bangladesh designed by architects. Prominent architect Saif Ul Haque will present the different aspects of mosques from his architectural perspective which will contain plans, designs, photographs and more information on mosques in the context of planning and realization. Digital presentation will run Sun-Thur 10.00-19.00.

If you benefit from being able to choose exactly when to visit Bangladesh, then go in November or December, when the humid and heavy heat of summer finally begins to ebb away. The skies are blue, the air is clear and the sunsets spectacular, although the clear skies mean that you won’t see those dramatic monsoon clouds splayed across the landscape. At this time Bangladesh is busy but not frantic, moods are relaxed and congenial. The temperature is most favourable for travel, and air conditioning is no longer required in the evenings.

Bangladesh rarely makes any ‘top ten’ lists worldwide, but an often asked question comes more along the following lines: ‘Since I’m in Bangladesh, what are the top ten things I should see?’ Here’s a suggestion list to get you started:

Three Days

Take your first day exploring Old Dhaka, experiencing the frenetic energy offered by the historic capital. The second day can be spent doing a day trip out of the city: Savar or Sonargaon would be good, although a boat trip would be best – contact one of the local tour operators (see Chapter 3, Tour operators) to see if you can join a trip that’s already been arranged. Finally, spend your last day like a Dhaka urbanite by checking out some of Bangladesh’s many handicrafts or textile shops, some of which do business under free-trade banners. See Chapter 3, Shopping, for more information. More detailed itineraries follow below.

Bangladesh’s national tourism organisation is called the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, or Parjatan, meaning tourism, for short. The organisation’s old Dhaka headquarters were recently demolished to make way for a road and its new address had yet to be decided. This was probably for the better as the organisation was largely ineffective and its materials well out of date, and so travellers might find the services of a tour operator more efficient and helpful in the search for information and guidance while considering a journey to Bangladesh. The following list contains all international operators who have tours to Bangladesh. For a detailed list of the local operators, please check the Tourist Information chapter of the Dhaka chapter.

UK

• Exodus UK Grange Mills, Weird Rd, London SW12 0NE; tel: +44 (0)208 675 5550; e-mail: sales@exodus.co.uk; www.exodus.co.uk. Offers a Darjeeling/Sikkim & northwest Bangladesh itineary.
• Explore UK Nelson Hse, 55 victoria Rd, Farnborough Hampshire GU14 7PA; tel: +44 (0) 845 013 1537; e-mail: hello@explore.co.uk; www.explore.co.uk. Also offers a package tour covering northwest Bangladesh, Darjeeling, Sikkim and Bhutan.
• Saddle Skedaddle 110 Ouseburn Bldg, Albion Row, East Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 1LL; tel:+44 (0)191 265 1110; e-mail: info@skedaddle.co.uk; www.traidcraft-tours.co.uk. Offers specialised handicraft tours to Bangladesh with UBINIG, a Bangladeshi NGO with fantastic local knowledge.
• Undiscovered Destinations Saville Exchange, Howard St, North Shields NE30 1SE; tel: +44 (0)191 296 2674, 206 4038; e-mail: info@undiscovereddestinations ; www.bangladesh-undiscovered.com. An operator with specialist knowledge of Bangladesh. The owner definitely has a special soft spot for the country.

Europe

• Grace Tours Sankt Peders Stræde 28, 1453 København, Denmark; tel:+45 33 117 117; e-mail: email@gracetours.com; www.gracetours.com. Operates tours on an on-demand basis, for individual travellers. Resources are mostly in Danish, but do speak English if you call.
• Thurgau Travel Rathausstrasse 5, 8570 Weinfelden, Switzerland; tel: +41 71 626 55 00; e e-mail: info@thurgautravel.ch; www.thurgautravel.ch.Specialises in private boat journeys in Bangladesh.

Usa /Canada

• Asian Pacific Adventures 6065 Calvin Av, Tarzana, CA 91356, USA; tel:+1 818 881 2745, +1 800 825 1680 (inside US, toll free); e-mail: info@asianpacificadventures.com; www.asianpacificadventures.com
• Experience Bangladesh Austin, TX, USA; tel: +1 512 263 0653; e-mail: contact@experiencebangladesh.com; www.experiencebangladesh.com . Unique perspective on tour operations to Bangladesh. Focuses mainly on tourism for poverty-alleviation purposes.
• GAP Adventures 19 Charlotte St, Toronto ON, M5V 2H5, Canada; tel:1 800 708 7761 (in North America); Tell:+1 416 260 0999 (outside North America & UK); +1 246 426 2246 (agents outside North America & UK); +44 (0)870 999 0144 (UK); +1888 800 4100 (USA); www.gapadventures.com . Package tours to Bangladesh, includes the highlights & professional logistical management.
• Remote Lands 6th Flr, 845 Third Ave, New York, NY 10022; tel: +1 646 415 8092; e-mail: info@remotelands.com. Luxury boutique operator offering specialised & highly organised individual tours to Bangladesh. All-inclusive tours generally start at US$750/day, including expert guides, drivers, internal flights, meals, hotels & activities.

Australia

• Intrepid Travel 11 Spring St, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065; tel: +61 3 9473 2626, 9473 2673; e-mail: generalinfo@intrepidtravel.com; www.intrepidtravel.com . Offers packages covering the highlights of Bangladesh.

Visas and entry requirements

All foreign visitors to Bangladesh require a visa. To be frank, getting a Bangladesh visa can be a pain in the backside, so let this process be your first lesson in the patience you will inevitably cultivate during your stay in Bangladesh. Because of a lack of information on visa regulations, procedures and the simple fact that not that many tourists or visitors come to Bangladesh (streamlined application processes are an innovation yet to be discovered in the country), you should apply for your visa as early as possible. Also note that each Bangladesh consular office applies the rules and regulations slightly differently, so if you’re ever in doubt, call the relevant office and ask for directions or check the relevant websites (none of which is particularly well organised or even functional) to get yourself as informed as possible. Now that your expectations are set appropriately low, here are some directions to help ease the process.

Tourist visas are the easiest to obtain. Depending on the office you’re dealing with, they can be issued for periods of up to two months, and whatever the length of your stay it is suggested that you apply for the maximum amount of time permitted, or at least specify a date that is a few days earlier than your expected arrival and at least a few days later than your expected departure. Most consular offices will request a letter of invitation along with the visa; this could be a letter from the tour operator or the contact that you may be visiting. Otherwise any manufactured letter that explains the purpose of your visit should satisfy the Bangladeshi bureaucratic urge for paper consumption. Other consular offices might request a hotel booking, air ticket confirmation or a signed invitation letter from Bangladesh. If such a letter is required, asking around on Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum will usually help you locate someone who can prepare such a letter on your behalf. Generally, building a ‘paperwork’ case for your visit to Bangladesh is what you should do, and the more paper you have to support the application, the more impressive it appears. The higher up the status of the letterhead (diplomatic or aid agencies rate very high), the better. A few travel advisories also specify that you should have an onward ticket to present on arrival, but immigration staff rarely request to see such paperwork.

Business visas are a slightly different story. They can be issued for periods up to six months, and require a letter introducing your company along with a letter from your proposed business partner clearly stating the purpose of your visit.

Visa fees vary from nationality to nationality as Bangladesh practises a reciprocal fee system. Whatever visa fee is charged to Bangladesh nationals when they apply is same rate charged to foreign visa applications. You can check the fee schedule on the immigration website (www.dip.gov.bd). Some common visa fees are: £40/52/75 for single-/double-/multiple-entry visas for UK nationals; US$131 for US nationals, regardless of length or number of entries; CAD$80/158 for single- /multiple-entry visas for Canadian nationals; and AUD$150 for single-/double- /multiple-entry visas for Australian nationals (in the case of Australia, all visa types are the same price so it may be best to apply for a multiple entry visa for the longest period permissible by the high commission).

Applying in India

Applying for a tourist visa in India before your visit to Bangladesh is possible, but your best bet is again to get it before even setting foot in the subcontinent. The Kolkata visa office has an especially nasty reputation, and so if you need to apply for your tourist visa here make sure you also bring your patience, good humour and at least two or three extra days for interviews/ questions/problems. Also, applying for anything other than a tourist visa can cause difficulties and elicit many questions, most of which you should take in a friendly manner but also be firm about your needs. The Delhi office is also prone to application difficulties, although the travellers who are patient and aware of the bureaucracy seem to get through here with fewer problems. Should you be all the way out in Agartala, it is also possible to get tourist visas here for 15 days without difficulties; should you require a longer period you’ll need to lock down an interview with officials to explain your cause. Also, keep in mind that holidays in Bangladesh differ from those in India, so if you’re planning to apply anytime around Eid-ul Fitr (August–October), be prepared for extra delays. Come prepared with at least three passport-sized photographs and photocopies of your passport and onward flight arrangements, if any.

Long-term visa issues

Employment and NGO visas are where things begin to get a bit more complicated, but your employer in Bangladesh should help you with obtaining the necessary paperwork. Most of the advice that follows is for those who have to do the applications themselves, such as consultants, freelancers or long term volunteers.

Applying for the first visa is best done from your home country, as there tend to be more restrictions on visa applications for nationals from elsewhere (ie: when a Canadian national tries to apply for an NGO visa in China, it can cause a fair amount of confusion among consular officials). Americans tend to get better visas than other nationalities. In Australia, you are unlikely to get more than a six-month visa, unless you are associated with an Australian government aid programme.

If you obtain a visa that expires during your stay, begin the process for visa extension as soon as you are settled in Bangladesh. Security clearances and work permits are required for most visa extensions and these can take months and many painful hours wasted at various government offices. Bangladesh’s visa office makes snails seem speedy, although believe it or not, things improved under the 2007–08 caretaker administration. Your host organisation should also assist with the visa extension process, but do be wary as they can sometimes be as clueless as you (reassurances of ‘no problem, no problem’ are often a warning sign in this regard). If your visa does expire you will have to pay a fine, a rate variable depending on your work and host organisation. You will also require an exit visa to leave Bangladesh and this can likewise take months to obtain.

If you find yourself in a real bind with visa issues (ie: lacking the correct paperwork and with less than a month to go until your visa expires), the least stressful but definitely most expensive option is to leave Bangladesh and apply for a new visa from outside. The bureaucratic chaos of Bangladesh apparently can’t be escaped within the subcontinent, so consider heading to Thailand, Malaysia or Singapore for such a visa run as these offices tend to be far more generous with their visas. Also, this process can be complicated by a few other factors, such as whether you still have a valid Bangladeshi visa in your passport, which in some cases should have expired first. Finally, it is apparently impossible to change the visa type after your arrival, so do try to apply for the correct visa before your first arrival in the country, which will hopefully save you time and energy as you try to navigate Bangladesh’s extraordinary bureaucracy.

Once you do have the correct paperwork in place, the immigration office will be able to extend your visa for the period of your work permit. Bribing at any consular or immigration office is not recommended – it may work, according to some of those who have tried otherwise, but it may also jeopardise your chances and does little for the global stance against corruption. It helps to carry around extra photocopies of your passport and passport-sized photos when dealing with these issues.

Landing permit

As of 22 March 2008, the majority of nationals from Western countries (US, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia) could obtain a ‘Landing Permit on Arrival’ if you arrive in Dhaka with no visa, and while it may not be checked, you should also carry printed proof of your onward travel arrangements. With US$50, you can simply buy this landing permit when you arrive at Zia International Airport, and you should be granted a 15-day stay, which you can overstay for a few days, or even a couple of weeks and pay the Tk200 per day overstay fee. The permit would normally be issued to visitors hailing from most Western countries, especially when they arrive from a country with no resident Bangladeshi mission.

However, please note that this could change at any time and without warning – such are the vagaries of the Bangladesh immigration system. The rules surrounding this landing permit are not published anywhere and there is a general sense that officials do not want this system to be too widely known by visiting guests. Although for short-term tourist arrivals coming from a country that is not their home country, this is the best choice. The airport immigration telephone number at Zia International Airport is tel: +880 2 891 4226, and if you speak Bangla or know a Bangla speaker you will be able to get up-to-the-minute details. Whether or not you use the Landing Permit on Arrival system depends on whether or not you are the traveller who is willing to accept some degree of risk while you travel. Naturally, the safest option is to obtain a visa in your home country first, but if, for some circumstance of time and/or money you don’t get the visa, and you don’t need to stay in Bangladesh for longer than 15 days, a landing permit would certainly be easier than other potential bureaucratic speed bumps you could encounter at a Bangladeshi high commission or embassy abroad. Finally, the Landing Permit on Arrival system should only be used if you also plan to depart from Zia International Airport, and not overland to India. Indian immigration officials will not recognise the landing permit and may refuse to issue a visa in Dhaka. Even if you already have an Indian visa, border officials may not permit you to cross with only a landing permit. Given the multitude of complexities surrounding the landing permit, it is naturally best to obtain the necessary visa before your arrival in Bangladesh.

Visa extensions

Visa processing is handled at the Department of Immigration and Passports (Passport Bhaban, E7 Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, www.dip.gov.bd; visa drop-off time: 10.00-13.00 and pickup time: 14.00-16.00). While affairs have become slightly more orderly at this aging office, do bring a sense of patience along with your necessary paperwork. If you have any friends at all in the government, having them place a phone call to the department will help speed up your visit immensely as you can be ushered in the ‘back door’ using your connections. Nonetheless, such connections will not help you if you don’t have the right paperwork ready. Landing permits and transit visas are non-extendable. Tourist visas can be extended for up to 30 days. A starting point of reference should be the department’s website, where you will find a link at the bottom left under ‘Visa Policy’ where all the requirements for each visa are listed. Also, there is a link provided for the necessary ‘Visa Fees’ on the left sidebar and the ‘Visa Form’ on the right. Here’s a checklist that you should prepare first:

• Passport photocopy
• Visa page photocopy
• Photocopy of the page containing your entry stamp
• One passport photo
• Visa fee (depends on nationality: UK US$65 for single entry, US$168 for
  multiple; US US$131 for single/multiple; Canada Tk3,300 for single or
  Tk6,600 for multiple)
• While it depends on the visa required, most require a letter from your employer and security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs. NGO visas require a work permit from the NGO bureau. Keep your original paperwork and make photocopies for processing – paperwork being ‘lost’ is an infrequent but not unheard of occurrence.

Indian Visa

It is possible to get an Indian visa in Dhaka and Chittagong, although the High Commission of India website advises foreign applicants, other than those residing in Bangladesh, to normally obtain a visa from the Indian mission located in their country of origin or residence. Thus, it is prudent to bring a covering letter indicating that you are a resident of Bangladesh or are employed with a local organisation (regardless of what your actual status is). Using the normal process, the Dhaka office (Indian Visa Application Centre, Hse 12, Rd 137, Gulshan 1, tel: 02 989 3006; fax: 02 986 3229; e-mail: info@ivacbd.com; www.ivacbd.com; time: 11.00–12.00 for application/pickup) will grant six-month multiple-entry visas (Tk3,575 for most nationals, Tk3,300 for US nationals) to India although the length of visa does depend on the mood of the consular officials on the day of application. In addition, they sometimes request an extra Tk230 fee to send a clearance letter to Delhi. The whole process normally takes four working days. The Dhaka visa office is less unfriendly than the Chittagong visa office, and sometimes they have been known to give female applicants more trouble than men. You will need to take the following paperwork and be prepared to fetch more at the consular officer’s whim:

• Completed visa application form – available at the Indian high commission or online
• Your passport
• A photocopy of the headshot page of your passport as well as a photocopy of your Bangladesh visa
• Two passport photos
• Letter from your employer stating your reason for being in Bangladesh, your job, and your reason for travel to India
• Visa fee – check the website for the latest fees

What follows is a list of the all the foreign Embassies and High Commissions in Dhaka, as well as a list of all high commissions/embassies of Bangladesh abroad. We would appreciate notice if this list has changed.

The following post is free content on the Bangladesh Traveller.

[private]

Abroad

• Australia 21 Culgoa Circuit, O’Malley, Canberra, ACT 2606; tel: +61 2 6290 0511, 6290 0522, 6290 0533; e-mail: bdoot.canberra@cyberone.com.au; www.bangladoot-canberra.org.
• Belgium 29–31 Rue Jacques Jordaens, 1000 Brussels; tel: +32 2 640 5500; email: bdootbrussels@skynet.be, trade@bangladeshembassy.be; www.bangladeshembassy.be.
• Bhutan Plt HIG-3, Upper Chubachu, Thimphu; tel: +975 2 322 539; email: bdoot@druknet.bt.
• Canada Suite 302, 275 Bank St, Ottawa, ON, K2P 2L6; tel: +1 613 236 0138, 236 0139; email: info@bdhc.org, bangla@rogers.com; www.bdhc.org;
  A fire at the high commission in 2008 caused the office to be shifted to a temporary location. See website for the latest.
• China 42 Guang Hua Lu, Beijing 100600; tel: +86 10 6532 2521, 6532 3706; email: bdemb@public3.bta.net.cn; www.bangladeshembassy.com.cn.
• France 39 rue Erlanger, 75016 Paris; tel: +33 1 46 51 90 33, 46 51 98 30; email: banglacom@free.fr, bdootpar@club-internet.fr,
  hoc_par@club-internet.fr.
• Germany Dovestrasse 1, 10587 Berlin; tel: +49 3039 8975–0; email: info@bangladeshembassy.de; www.bangladeshembassy.de.
• Hong Kong Ste 3807, China Resources Bldg, 26 Harbour Rd, Wanchai; tel: +852 2827 4278, 2827 4279; email: bangladt@netvigator.com .
• Indonesia Jalan Situbondo, No 12, Menteng, Jakarta; tel: +62 21 314 690, 310 2705.
• India
  • Delhi EP-39, Dr S Radha Krishna Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021; tel: +91 11 2412 1389–94; e-mail: highcommissionba@eth.net; www.bhcdelhi.org;
  • Kolkata 9 Circus Av, Kolkata 700017; tel: +91 33 2247 5208,
    2247 5209;
  • Agartala Bangladesh Visa Office, Colonel Chowmuhoni, Agartala 79901; tel: +91 381 232 4807.
• Italy 14 Via Antonio Bertoloni, Rome 00197; tel: +39 6 808 3595, 807 8541.
• Japan 4-15-15 Meguro, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo 153-0063; tel: +81 3 5704 0216–8; email: bdootjp@bdembjp.com; www.bdembjp.com.
• Malaysia No 204-1, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur; tel: +60 3 242 3271, 242 2505.
• Myanmar 56 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Yangon; tel: +95 1
  51174.
• Nepal Maharajganj, Ring Rd, Kathmandu; tel: +977 1 414 943, 414 265.
• Netherlands Wassenaarseweg 39, 2596 CG, The Hague; tel: +31 70 328 3722.
• Pakistan Hse 1, St 5, F-6/3, Islamabad; tel: +92 51 2279 267; email: bdhcisb@sat.net.pk.
• Singapore 91 Bencoolen St, No 06-01,Sunshine Plaza, Singapore 189652; tel: +65 6255 0075; email: bdoot@singnet.com.sg; ww.bangladesh.org.sg.
• Spain 2nd Fl-D, C/Diego de Lieon-69, 28006 Madrid; tel: +34 1 401 9932, 401 7149.
• Sweden Anderstorpsvägen 12 (1 Tr), 171 54 Solna, Stockholm; tel: +46 8 730 5850; email: banijya@bangladeshembassy.se.
• Thailand 727 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), Bangkok 10110; tel: +66 2 392 9437–8; email: bdoot@samart.co.th; 95 Huay Kaew Rd, T Suthep, A Muang, Chiang Mai 50200; tel: +66 5 321 2373-4.
• UK
  • London 28 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 5JA; tel: 020 7584 0081; email: attache@bhclondon.org.uk (consular information), info@bhclondon.org.uk (general information); www.bhclondon.org.uk;
  • Manchester 3rd Fl, Cedar Hse, 2 Fairfield St, Manchester M1 3GF; tel: 0161 236 4853; visas should be taken from London office.
• USA
  • Washington 3510, International Dr NW, Washington DC 20008; tel: +1 202 244 0183; email: bdootwash@bangladoot.org; www.bangladoot.org;
  • New York Suite 502, 211 East 43rd St, New York, NY 10017; tel:
    +1 212 599 6767, 599 6850, 599 1874; email: contact@bdcgny.org; www.bdcgny.org;
  • Los Angeles Suite 605, 4201 Wilshire Bd, Los Angeles, CA 90010; tel: +1 323 932-0100; email: bcgla@earthlink.net.
• Vietnam 7th Fl, Daeha Business Ctr, 360 Kim Ma St, Hanoi; tel: +84 4 771 6625, 771 7829; email: bdoothn@netnam.org.vn.

In Bangladesh

• Afghanistan Hse 2A, Rd 24, Gulshan 1; tel: 02 989 5994; email: afghanembassydhaka@yahoo.com.
• Australia 184 Gulshan Av, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 881 3101–5; email: dima-dhaka@dfat.gov.au; www.bangladesh.embassy.gov.au
• Austria Safura Tower, 5th Fl, 20 Kemal Ataturk Av, Banani; tel: 02 989 4329; email: austriancon@quasemgroup.com .
• Bhutan Hse 12, Rd 107, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 882 6863, 882 7160.
• Canada Hse 16A, Rd 48, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 988 7091, 988 7097; email: dhaka@international.gc.ca; www.bangladesh.gc.ca .
• China Plot 2–4, Rd 3, Blk 1, Baridhara; tel: 02 882 4862, 882 4164; email: chinaemb@bdmail.net; www.bd.chineseembassy.org.
• Denmark Hse 1, Rd 51, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 882 1799; email: dacamb@um.dk; www.ambdhaka.um.dk.
• European Economic Commission Hse 7, Rd 84, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 882 4730; www.eudelbangladesh.org.
• France Hse 18, Rd 108, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 881 3811–14; email: webmestre.daccaamba@diplomatie.gouv.fr; www.ambafrance-bd.org.
• Germany 178 Gulshan Av; tel: 02 885 3521–24; email: aadhaka@optimaxbd.net; www.dhaka.diplo.de.
• India
  • Dhaka Hse 2, Rd 142, Gulshan 1 (the best place for locally based foreigners to line up an Indian visa); tel: 02 988 9339, 988 8789–91; email: hoc@hcidhaka.org; www.hcidhaka.org;
  • Chittagong Hse 2, B-2, Rd 1, Khulshi, Chittagong; tel: 031 654148; email: ahcindia@spnetctg.com; www.ahcictg.org;
  • Rajshahi Hse 284/2, Housing Estate, Sopura Uposhahar, Rajshahi; tel: 0721 774841.
• Indonesia Hse 14 Rd 53, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 988 1640–41; email: indhaka@bangla.net; www.jakartadhaka.com.
• Italy Hse 2/3, Rd 74/79, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 882 2781; email: ambdhaka@dominox.com.
• Iraq Hse 8, Rd 59, Gulshan 2.
• Japan Hse 5–7, Dutabash Rd, Baridhara; tel: 02 881 0087; email: information@embjp.accesstel.net; www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp.
• Malaysia Hse 19, Rd 6, Baridhara; tel: 02 882 7759- 60; email: mwdhaka@citech-bd.com; www.kln.gov.my/perwakilan/dhaka.
• Myanmar Hse 3, Rd 84, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 989 6373; email: mynembdk@siriusbroadband.com, mynembdk@siriusbb.com.
• Nepal United Nations Rd, Rd 2, Baridhara; tel: 02 860 1790; email: eondhaka@dbn-bd.net.
• Netherlands Hse 49, Rd 90, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 882 2715–18; email: dha@minbuza.nl; www.netherlandsembassydhaka.org.
• Norway Hse 9, Rd 111, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 882 3065,881 0563; email: emb.dhaka@mfa.no; www.norway.org.bd.
• Pakistan Hse 2, Rd 71, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 882 5388–9.
• Singapore Hse 15, Rd 68/A, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 988 0404, 988 0337; email: singcon_dha@sgmfa.gov.sg; www.mfa.gov.sg/dhaka.
• Sri Lanka Hse 15, Rd 50, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 882 2790, 881 0779.
• Sweden Hse 1, Rd 51, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 883 3144–7; email: ambassaden.dhaka@sida.se; www.swedenabroad.com/dhaka.
• Thailand Hse 14, Rd 11, Baridhara; tel: 01 881 2795- 6, 8813260–1; email: thaidac@mfa.go.th; www.thaidac.com.
• Turkey Hse 14A, Rd 62, Gulshan 2, tel: 02 882 3536.
• UK United Nations Rd, Baridhara; tel: 02 882 2705–9; email: Dhaka.Consular@fco.gov.uk; www.ukinbangladesh.fco.gov.uk.
• USA Madani Av, Baridhara, tel: 02 885 5500; www.dhaka.usembassy.gov.
• Vietnam Hse 7, Rd 104, Gulshan 2; tel: 02 885 4051, 885 4052; e-mail: vietnam@citech-bd.com; www.vietnamembassy-bangladesh.org.

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Land Routes

Bangladesh is almost wholly surrounded by India and while there has been talk over the years of a road connecting the region to China via Myanmar, no political will has yet to materialise on this front.

Major crossings into India are at Benapol/Petrapol, Burimari/Chengrabandha, Tamabil/Dawkhi and Akhuara/Agartala. They are major in the sense that they are well used by travellers and have regular transit services between Dhaka and the next major city, and also have facilities for vehicular traffic, should you be wishing to drive into Bangladesh with your own vehicle (a carnet is required; see page 000 for further details).

Need to figure out the best way to get to/from Bangladesh? Here’s a conclusive list of all the options for getting in and out, including how to drive an Indian-registered motorcycle into the country. Also included is information on border crossings.

By Air

Because Bangladesh doesn’t receive a lot of air traffic, the country lacks competition among major carriers. As a result, the connections that do exist tend to be rather expensive due to a lack of critical mass and only one discount airline flies to Bangladesh (Air Asia recently added a Kuala Lumpur–Dhaka flight). While this may change with the entrance of several new local airlines, it may be a few years yet before the connections and their prices improve.

This post written with the consultation of Dr Felicity Nicholson

People new to exotic travel often worry about tropical diseases, but it is accidents that are most likely to carry you off. Road accidents are very common in Bangladesh so be aware and do what you can to reduce risks: try to travel during daylight hours, always wear a seatbelt and refuse to be driven by anyone who has been drinking. Listen to local advice about areas where violent crime is rife. Traveling around the major cities after 22.00, especially Dhaka and Chittagong, is best done in private transport. Noise pollution is another major problem in Dhaka and Chittagong, so if you have sensitive ears bring a pair of earplugs. Sound-blocking earphones and a music device are even smarter for when you’re stuck in traffic.

Preparations

This post written with the consultation of Dr Felicity Nicholson

Malaria

Along with road accidents, malaria poses another threat to the health of travellers in south Asia. It is unwise to travel in malarial parts of Bangladesh whilst pregnant or with children: the risk of malaria in many parts is considerable and these travellers are likely to succumb rapidly to the disease.

Malaria in Bangladesh

The Anopheles mosquito that transmits the parasite is most commonly found in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region of Bangladesh. All other regions of the country are considered low-risk malaria areas, and there is no malaria in Dhaka. When visiting the CHT outside the main towns (Khagrachari, Bandarban or Rangamati), antimalarial drugs are definitely advised. If at all uncertain, however, visitors should err on the side of caution and take prophylaxis medication well before their visit to the CHT. Doxycycline is widely available and inexpensive as well.

Content in this post provided free courtesy The Bangladesh Traveller website.

Medical Facilities in Bangladesh

Dhaka is the only place where somewhat decent medical facilities exist, but major procedures such as childbirth or surgery should definitely be undertaken abroad. Many expatriates head to Thailand for their regular medical treatments and more intensive diagnostic procedures. For less serious travel-related illnesses, International Centre for Cholera and Diarrhoea Research, Bangladesh (ICCDR,B) has a travellers’ clinic which charges US$50 per visit for insured patients and US$15 otherwise. The clinic can also provide vaccinations as well. Appointments are recommended.

Emergencies are probably best handled at one of the major hospitals.

• Apollo Hospital Hse 81, Blk E, Bashundhara; tel : 02989 1661/2; mob: 01713 046684, 01713 046685; emergency tel : 02 989 6623; emergency mob: 01911555555; emergency ambulance tel : 01714 090000; e-mail : info@apollodhaka.com; www.apollodhaka.com
• British High Commission Clinic Elizabeth House, Hse 23, Park Rd (cnr of Rd 6), Baridhara; tel : 02 882 4345. Generally for high commission staff & British aid workers, but will likely point you in the right direction in the case of emergencies.
• Dr Wahab’s Medical Centre Hse 3, Rd 12, Baridhara; tel : 02 882 1454. Can consult for acute but not life-threatening illnesses; also handles medical checkups for many international visa applications.
• ICCDR,B 68 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sharani, Mohakhali; tel : 02 886 0523–32; e-mail : info@icddrb.org; www.icddrb.org; time : 09.00–12.00 &14.00–17.00 Sun–Thu.
• Square Hospital 18/F West Panthapath, near Dhanmondi; tel : 02 815 9457, 814 2431, 814 1522, 814 4400, 814 2333, emergency m 01713
  377773–5; www.squarehospital.com.
• United Hospital Hse 15, Rd 71, Gulshan 2; tel : 02 883 6000, 883 6444; mob: 01914 001234.

Travel Clinics and Health Information

A full list of current travel clinic websites worldwide is available on www.istm.org/. For other journey preparation information, consult www.nathnac.org/ds/map_world.aspx. Information about various medications may be found on www.netdoctor.co.uk/travel.

UK

• Berkeley Travel Clinic 32 Berkeley St, London W1J 8EL (near Green Park tube station); tel: 020 7629
  6233; time: 10.00–18.00 Mon–Fri, 10.00–15.00 Sat.
• Cambridge Travel Clinic 41 Hills Rd, Cambridge, CB2 1NT; tel: 01223 367362; fax: 01223 368021; e-mail: enquiries@travelcliniccambridge.co.uk; www.travelcliniccambridge.co.uk; time: 10.00–16.00
  Mon, Tue & Sat, 12.00–19.00 Wed/Thu, 11.00–18.00 Fri.
• Edinburgh Travel Health Clinic 14 East Preston St, Newington, Edinburgh EH8 9QA; tel: 0131 667 1030; www.edinburghtravelhealthclinic.co.uk; time: 09.00–19.00 Mon–Wed, 09.00–18.00 Thu/Fri. Travel
  vaccinations & advice on all aspects of malaria prevention. All current UK prescribed anti-malaria
  tablets in stock.
• Fleet Street Travel Clinic 29 Fleet St, London EC4Y 1AA; tel: 020 7353 5678; www.fleetstreetclinic.com;
  time: 08.45–17.30 Mon–Fri. Injections, travel products & latest advice.
• Hospital for Tropical Diseases Travel Clinic Mortimer Market Centre, 2nd Fl, Capper St (off Tottenham Ct Rd), London WC1E 6AU; tel : 020 7388 9600; www.thehtd.org; time: 09.00–16.00 weekdays; 24hr emergency available. Offers consultations & advice, & is able to provide all necessary drugs & vaccines for travellers. Runs a healthline (tel : 020 7950 7799) for country-specific information & health hazards. Also stocks nets, water purification equipment & personal protection measures. Travellers who have returned from the tropics & are unwell, with fever or bloody diarrhoea, can attend the walk-in emergency clinic at the hospital without an appointment.
• MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London WC1 7HT; tel : 09068
  224100; email: enquiries@masta.org; www.masta-travelhealth.com. This is a premium-line number, charged at 60p per min. For a fee, they will provide an individually tailored health brief, with up-to-date information on how to stay healthy, inoculations &
  what to take.
• MASTA pre-travel clinics tel : 01276 685040. Call or check www.masta-travel-health.com/travel- clinic.aspx for the nearest; there are currently 30 in Britain. They also sell malaria prophylaxis, memory cards, treatment kits, bed-nets, net treatment kits, etc. NHS travel website www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk. Provides country-by-country advice on immunisation & malaria prevention, plus details of recent development, & a list of relevant health organisations.
• Nomad Travel Stores Flagship store: 3–4 Wellington Terrace, Turnpike Lane, London N8 0PX; tel: 020 8889 7014; fax 020 8889 9528; e-mail: turnpike@nomadtravel.co.uk; www.nomadtravel.co.uk; walk in or appointments tel : 09.15–17.00 daily, with late night Thu. 6 stores in total countrywide: 3 in London, also in Bristol, Southampton & Manchester. As well as dispensing health advice, Nomad stocks mosquito nets & other anti-bug devices, & an excellent range of adventure travel gear.
• InterHealth Travel Clinic 111 Westminster Bridge Rd,
  London, SE1 7HR; tel : 020 7902 9000; e-mail : info@interhealth.org.uk; ww.interhealth.org.uk; time :
  08.30–17.30 Mon–Fri. Competitively priced, one-stop
  travel health service by appointment only.
• Trailfinders Immunisation Centre 194 Kensington High
  St, London W8 7RG; tel : 020 7938 3999; www.trailfinders.com/travelessentials/travelclinic.htm; time: 09.00–17.00 Mon–Wed & Fri, 09.00–18.00 Thu, 10.00–17.15 Sat. No appointment necessary.
• Travelpharm The Travelpharm website (www.travelpharm.com) offers up-to-date guidance on travel-related health & has a range of medications available through their online mini-pharmacy.

Irish Republic

• Tropical Medical Bureau Grafton St Medical Centre, Grafton Bldgs, 34 Grafton St, Dublin 2; tel : 1 671 9200. Has a useful website specific to tropical destinations (www.tmb.ie).

USA

• Centers for Disease Control 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta,
  GA 30333; tel : 800 232 4636, 800 232 6348; e-mail : cdcinfo@cdc.gov; www.cdc.gov/travel. The central source of travel information in the USA. Each summer they publish the invaluable Health Information for International Travel.
• IAMAT (International Association for Medical
  Assistance to Travelers) 1623 Military Rd, #279
  Niagara Falls, NY 14304-1745; tel : 716 754 4883; e-mail : info@iamat.org; www.iamat.org. A non-profit
  organisation with free membership that provides lists
  of English-speaking doctors abroad.

Canada

• IAMAT (International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers) Suite 1, 1287 St Clair Av W, Toronto, ON, M6E 1B8;time : 416 652 0137;
  www.iamat.org
• TMVC Suite 314, 1030 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC, V6E 2Y3;time : 905 648 1112; e-mail : info@tmvc.com; www.tmvc.com. One-stop medical clinic for all your international travel medicine & vaccination needs.

Australia, New Zealand, Thailand

• TMVC (Travel Doctors Group) time : 1300 65 88 44; www.tmvc.com.au. 22 clinics in Australia, New Zealand & Thailand, including: Auckland anterbury Arcade, 170 Queen St, Auckland; time : 09 373 3531; Brisbane 75a Astor Terrace, Spring Hill, Brisbane, QLD 4000; time : 07 3815 6900; e-mail : brisbane@traveldoctor.com.au; Melbourne Dr Sonny Lau, 393 Little Bourke St, 2nd Fl, Melbourne, VIC 3000; time : 03 9935 8100; e-mail :

  melbourne@traveldoctor.com.au; Sydney Dr Mandy Hu, Dymocks Bldg, 7th Fl, 428 George St, Sydney, NSW 2000; time : 02 9221 7133; fax : 02 9221 8401

• IAMAT PO Box 5049, Christchurch 5, New Zealand; www.iamat.org

South Africa

• SAA-Netcare Travel Clinics e-mail : travelinfo@netcare.co.za; www.travelclinic.co.za. 12 clinics throughout South Africa.
• TMVC NHC Health Centre, cnr Beyers Naude & Waugh Northcliff; tel : 011 214 9030; e-mail : traveldoctor@wtmconline.com; www.traveldoctor.co.za.
  Consult the website for details of clinics.

Switzerland

• IAMAT 57 Chemin des Voirets, 1212 Grand-Lancy, Geneva; e-mail : info@iamat.org; www.iamat.org

Travellers’ diarrhoea

Travelling in Bangladesh carries a fairly high risk of getting a dose of travellers’ diarrhoea, or the ‘chitta shittas’ as its sometimes referred to; perhaps half of all visitors will suffer and the newer you are to exotic travel, the more likely you will be to suffer. By taking precautions against travellers’ diarrhoea you will also avoid typhoid, paratyphoid, cholera, hepatitis, dysentery, worms, etc. Travellers’ diarrhoea and the other faecal-oral diseases come from getting other people’s faeces in your mouth. This most often happens from cooks not washing their hands after a trip to the toilet, but even if the restaurant cook does not understand basic hygiene you will be safe if your food has been properly cooked and arrives piping hot. The most important prevention strategy is to wash your hands before eating anything. You can pick up salmonella and shigella from toilet door handles and possibly banknotes. The maxim to remind you what you can safely eat is:

PEEL IT, BOIL IT, COOK IT OR FORGET IT.

This means that fruit you have washed and peeled yourself, and hot foods, should be safe but raw foods, cold cooked foods, salads, fruit salads which have been prepared by others, ice cream and ice are all risky, and foods kept lukewarm in hotel buffets are often dangerous. That said, plenty of travellers and expatriates enjoy fruit and vegetables, so do keep a sense of perspective: food served in a fairly decent hotel in a large town or a place regularly frequented by expatriates is likely to be safe. If you are struck, see box for treatment.

Treating Travellers’ Diarrhoea

Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth

It is dehydration that makes you feel awful during a bout of diarrhoea and the most important part of treatment is drinking lots of clear fluids. Sachets of oral rehydration salts give the perfect biochemical mix to replace all that is pouring out of your bottom but other recipes taste nicer. Any dilute mixture of sugar and salt in water will do you good: try Coke or orange squash with a three-finger pinch of salt added to each glass (if you are salt-depleted you won’t taste the salt). Otherwise make a solution of a four-finger scoop of sugar with a three-finger pinch of salt in a 500ml glass. Or add eight level teaspoons of sugar (18g) and one level teaspoon of salt (3g) to one litre (five cups) of safe water. A squeeze of lemon or orange juice improves the taste and adds potassium, which is also lost in diarrhoea. Drink two large glasses after every bowel action, and more if you are thirsty. These solutions are still absorbed well if you are vomiting, but you will need to take sips at a time. If you are not eating you need to drink three litres a day plus whatever is pouring into the toilet. If you feel like eating, take a bland, high carbohydrate diet. Heavy greasy foods will probably give you cramps.

If the diarrhoea is bad, or you are passing blood or slime, or you have a fever, you will probably need antibiotics in addition to fluid replacement. A dose of norfloxacin or ciprofloxacin repeated twice a day until better may be appropriate (if you are planning to take an antibiotic with you, note that both norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin are available only on prescription in the UK). Ciprofloxacin is considered to be less effective in Bangladesh. If the diarrhoea is greasy and bulky and is accompanied by sulphurous (eggy) burps, one likely cause is giardia. This is best treated with tinidazole (four x 500mg in one dose, repeated seven days later if symptoms persist).

Eye problems

Bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye) is a common infection in south Asia; people who wear contact lenses are most open to this irritating problem. The eyes feel sore and gritty and they will often be stuck together in the mornings. They will need treatment with antibiotic drops or ointment. Lesser eye irritation should settle with bathing in salt water and keeping the eyes shaded. If an insect flies into your eye, extract it with great care, ensuring you do not crush or damage it otherwise you may get a nastily inflamed eye from toxins secreted by the creature. Small, elongated red-and-black blister beetles carry warning colouration to tell you not to crush them anywhere against your skin.

Prickly heat

This ailment is definitely a common problem in Bangladesh, especially during the hottest months of April–June. A fine pimply rash on the trunk is likely to be heat rash; cool showers, dabbing dry, and talc will help. Treat the problem by slowing down to a relaxed schedule, wearing only loose, baggy,100% cotton clothes and sleeping naked under a fan; if it’s bad you may need to check into an air-conditioned hotel room for a while.

Skin infections

Any mosquito bite or small nick in the skin gives an opportunity for bacteria to foil the body’s usually excellent defences; it will surprise many travellers how quickly skin infections start in warm humid climates and it isessential to clean and cover even the slightest wound. Creams are not as effective as a good drying antiseptic such as dilute iodine, potassium permanganate (a few crystals in half a cup of water) or crystal (or gentian) violet. One of these should be available in most towns. If the wound starts to throb, or becomes red and the redness starts to spread, or the wound oozes, and especially if you develop a fever, antibiotics will probably be needed: flucloxacillin (250mg four times a day) or cloxacillin (500mg four times a day). For those allergic to penicillin, erythromycin (500mg twice a day) for five days should help. See a doctor if the symptoms do not start to improve within 48 hours.

Fungal infections also get a hold easily in hot, moist climates so wear 100% cotton socks and underwear and shower frequently. An itchy rash in the groin or flaking between the toes is likely to be a fungal infection. This needs treatment with an antifungal cream such as Canesten (clotrimazole); if this is not available try Whitfield’s ointment (compound benzoic acid ointment) or crystal violet (although this will turn you purple!).

Other insect-borne diseases

Malaria is by no means the only insect-borne disease to which the traveller may succumb. Others include sleeping sickness and river blindness (see box Avoiding insect bites, page 000). Dengue fever is common in Bangladesh and there are many other similar arboviruses. These mosquito-borne diseases may mimic malaria but there is no prophylactic medication against them. The Aedes mosquitoes that carry dengue fever viruses bite during the daytime, so it is worth applying repellent if you see any of these mosquitoes around. After killing it, you can identify such a mosquito by the presence of white bands on its legs. These mosquitoes generally acquire the dengue virus after feeding on the blood of an infected person, and after an incubation period of eight to ten days the mosquito is capable of transmitting the disease for the rest of its life. Infected people are the main carriers and multipliers of this virus, generally circulating in the blood of the infected person at the same time that they have their fever.

Symptoms of dengue include strong headaches, rashes and excruciating joint and muscle pains and high fever. Viral fevers usually last about a week or so and are not usually fatal. Complete rest and paracetamol are the usual treatment; plenty of fluids also help. Some patients are given an intravenous drip to keep them from dehydrating. It is especially important to protect yourself if you have had dengue fever before, since a second infection with a different strain can result in the potentially fatal dengue haemorrhagic fever.

Avoiding Insect Bites

As the sun is going down, don long clothes and apply repellent on any exposed flesh. Pack a DEET-based insect repellent (roll-ons or stick are the least messy preparations for travelling). You also need either a permethrin-impregnated bed-net or a permethrin spray so that you can ‘treat’ bed-nets in hotels. Permethrin treatment makes even very tatty nets protective and prevents mosquitoes from biting through the impregnated net when you roll against it; it also deters other biters. Otherwise retire to an air-conditioned room or burn mosquito coils (which are widely available and cheap in Bangladesh) or sleep under a fan. Coils and fans reduce rather than eliminate bites. Travel clinics usually sell a good range of nets,
treatment kits and repellents.

Mosquitoes and many other insects are attracted to light. If you are camping, never put a lamp near the opening of your tent, or you will have a swarm of biters waiting to join you when you retire. In hotel rooms, be aware that the longer your light is on, the greater the number of insects will be sharing your accommodation.

Aside from avoiding mosquito bites between dusk and dawn, which will protect you from elephantiasis and a range of nasty insect-borne viruses, as well as malaria (see page 000), it is important to take precautions against other insect bites. During the day it is wise to wear long, loose (preferably 100% cotton) clothes; this will keep off ticks and day-biting Aedes mosquitoes which may spread viral fevers, including yellow fever.

Bilharzia or schistosomiasis

with thanks to Dr Vaughan Southgate of the Natural History Museum, London, and Dr Dick Stockley, The Surgery, Kampala

Bilharzia or schistosomiasis is a disease that commonly afflicts the rural poor of the tropics. It is an unpleasant problem that is worth avoiding, though can be treated if you do get it. This parasite is common in almost all water sources in Bangladesh. The most risky places are where infected people use water, wash clothes or bathe, etc.

It is easier to understand how to diagnose it, treat it and prevent it if you know a little about the life cycle. Contaminated faeces are washed into the lake, the eggs hatch and the larva infects certain species of snail. The snails then produce about 10,000 cercariae a day for the rest of their lives. The parasites can digest their way through your skin when you wade, or bathe in infested fresh water.

Winds disperse the snails and cercariae. The snails in particular can drift a long way, especially on windblown weed, so nowhere is really safe. However, deep water and running water are safer, while shallow water presents the greatest risk. The cercariae penetrate intact skin, and find their way to the liver. There male and female meet and spend the rest of their lives in permanent copulation. No wonder you feel tired! Most finish up in the wall of the lower bowel, but others can get lost and can cause damage to many different organs. Schistosoma haematobium goes mostly to the bladder.

Although the adults do not cause any harm in themselves, after about four to six weeks they start to lay eggs, which cause an intense but usually ineffective immune reaction, including fever, cough, abdominal pain, and a fleeting, itching rash called ‘safari itch’. The absence of early symptoms does not necessarily mean there is no infection. Later symptoms can be more localised and more severe, but the general symptoms settle down fairly quickly and eventually you are just tired. ‘Tired all the time’ is one of the most common symptoms among expats in south Asia, and bilharzia, giardia, amoeba and intestinal yeast are the most common culprits.

Although bilharzia is difficult to diagnose, it can be tested at specialist travel clinics. Ideally tests need to be done at least six weeks after likely exposure and will determine whether you need treatment. Fortunately it is easy to treat at present.

Avoiding bilharzia

If you are bathing, swimming, paddling or wading in fresh water which you think may carry a bilharzia risk, try to get out of the water within ten
minutes.

• Avoid bathing or paddling on shores within 200m of villages or places where people use the water a great deal, especially reedy shores or where there is lots of water weed.
• Dry off thoroughly with a towel; rub vigorously.
• If your bathing water comes from a risky source try to ensure that the water is taken from the lake in the early morning and stored snail-free, otherwise it should be filtered or Dettol or Cresol added.
• Bathing early in the morning is safer than bathing in the last half of the day.
• Cover yourself with DEET insect repellent before swimming: it may offer some protection.

HIV/AIDS

The risks of sexually transmitted infection are extremely high in Bangladesh, whether you sleep with fellow travellers or locals. About 80% of HIV
infections in British heterosexuals are acquired abroad. If you must indulge, use condoms or femidoms, which help reduce the risk of transmission. If you notice any genital ulcers or discharge, get treatment promptly since these increase the risk of acquiring HIV. If you do have unprotected sex, visit a clinic as soon as possible; this should be within 24 hours, or no later than 72 hours, for post-exposure prophylaxis.

In Bangladesh, HIV/AIDS prevalence remains extremely low, probably a result of the conservative culture of the country, although the incidence of more minor sexually transmitted diseases is high. For HIV/AIDS, occurrence rates are quite high amongst intravenous drug users and there is little knowledge or prevention action taken in the country. Therefore, it could become a high-prevalence area a few years down the track.

Meningitis

This is a particularly nasty disease as it can kill within hours of the first symptoms appearing. The telltale symptoms are a combination of a blinding
headache (light sensitivity), a blotchy rash and a high fever. Immunisation protects against the most serious bacterial form of meningitis and the tetravalent vaccine ACWY is recommended for Bangladesh by British travel clinics, but if this is not available then A+C vaccine is better than nothing.

Although other forms of meningitis exist (usually viral), there are no vaccines for these. Local papers normally report localised outbreaks. A severe headache and fever should make you run to a doctor immediately. There are also other causes of headache and fever, one of which is typhoid, which occurs in travellers to Bangladesh. Seek medical help if you are ill for more than a few days.

Rabies

Rabies is carried by all mammals (beware the village dogs and small monkeys that are used to being fed in the parks) and is passed on to man through a bite, scratch or a lick of an open wound. You must always assume any animal is rabid, and seek medical help as soon as possible. Meanwhile scrub the wound with soap under a running tap or while pouring water from a jug. Find a reasonably clear-looking source of water (but at this stage the quality of the water is not important), then pour on a strong iodine or alcohol solution of gin, whisky or rum. This helps stop the rabies virus entering the body and will guard against wound infections, including tetanus.

Pre-exposure vaccinations for rabies are ideally advised for everyone, but is particularly important if you intend to have contact with animals and/or are likely to be more than 24 hours away from medical help. Ideally three doses should be taken over a minimum of 21 days, though even taking one or two doses of vaccine is better than none at all. Contrary to popular belief these vaccinations are relatively painless

If you are bitten, scratched or licked over an open wound by a sick animal, then post-exposure prophylaxis should be given as soon as possible, though it is never too late to seek help, as the incubation period for rabies can be very long. Those who have not been immunised will need a full course of injections. The vast majority of travel health advisers including the WHO recommend rabies immunoglobulin (RIG), but this product is expensive (around US$800) and may be hard to come by – another reason why pre-exposure vaccination should be encouraged.

Tell the doctor if you have had pre-exposure vaccine, as this should change the treatment you receive. And remember that, if you do contract rabies, mortality is 100% and death from rabies is probably one of the worst ways to go.

Tickbite fever

South Asian ticks are not the rampant disease transmitters they are in the Americas, but they may spread tickbite fever and a few dangerous rarities in Bangladesh. Tickbite fever is a flu-like illness that can easily be treated with doxycycline, but as there can be some serious complications it is important to visit a doctor.

Ticks should ideally be removed as soon as possible as leaving them on the body increases the chance of infection. They should be removed with special tick tweezers that can be bought in good travel shops. Failing that you can use your fingernails: grasp the tick as close to your body as possible and pull steadily and firmly away at right angles to your skin. The tick will then come away complete, as long as you do not jerk or twist. If possible douse the wound with alcohol (any spirit will do) or iodine. Irritants (eg: Olbas oil) or lit cigarettes are to be discouraged since they can cause the ticks to regurgitate and therefore increase the risk of disease. It is best to get a travelling companion to check you for ticks; if you are travelling with small children, remember to check their heads, and particularly behind the ears.

Spreading redness around the bite and/or fever and/or aching joints after a tick bite imply that you have an infection that requires antibiotic treatment, so seek advice.

Snake bite

Snakes rarely attack unless provoked, and bites in travellers are unusual. You are less likely to get bitten if you wear stout shoes and long trousers when in the forests of Bangladesh, plus these will help ward off leeches. The only other time where there is a risk of snake bite is during the flood seasons in Bangladesh, when the snakes, like people, attempt to move to higher ground. Most snakes are harmless and even venomous species will dispense venom in only about half of their bites. If bitten, then, you are unlikely to have received venom; keeping this fact in mind may help you to stay calm. Many so-called first-aid techniques do more harm than good: cutting into the wound is harmful; tourniquets are dangerous; suction and electrical inactivation devices do not work. The only treatment is antivenom. In case of a bite that you fear may have been from a venomous snake:

• Try to keep calm – it is likely that no venom has been dispensed.
• Prevent movement of the bitten limb by applying a splint.
• Keep the bitten limb BELOW heart height to slow the spread of any venom.
• If you have a crêpe bandage, wrap it around the whole limb (eg: all the way from the toes to the thigh), as tight as you would for a sprained ankle or a muscle pull.

Evacuate to a hospital that has antivenom. At the time of writing this is only known to be available in Dhaka. Many centres have an Indian antivenom but unfortunately this isn’t effective against the most common biting snakes in Bangladesh. Antivenom that includes all the common biters is held by ICCDR Travellers Clinic (68 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sharani, Mohakhali;
tel: 02 8860523–32; e-mail : info@icddrb.org; www.icddrb.org; time : 09.00–12.00 & 14.00–17.00
Sun–Thu).

And remember:

• NEVER give aspirin; you may take paracetamol, which is safe.
• NEVER cut or suck the wound.
• DO NOT apply ice packs.
• DO NOT apply potassium permanganate.

Bangladesh’s security situation can be viewed from two perspectives. If you’re at all an adventurous person who likes the unexplored and unknown, then Bangladesh can be a perfectly safe place to travel when taking local advice, and even female travellers have braved the country solo. But if you’re the person responsible for writing government travel advisories, which will likely affect the decisions of thousands of potential visitors, you will find no shortage of fodder to help you describe Bangladesh as a security nightmare.

It is an unfortunate reality that women need to be far more conscious and vigilant over their safety and surroundings whilst travelling in Bangladesh, because of cultural norms that people hold in the country. Attitudes towards women tend to be quite protective but people here are certainly less conservative than their religious brethren in Pakistan; they share more in common with their cultural relatives in West Bengal and India (and this isn’t saying much as gender balance in India also remains far from ideal). Over the years it is pleasing to note that there has been a steady increase in the number of women visible in public surroundings, but there are still some precautions women should take.

The most common problem is verbal harassment, often in the form of cat calls (literally, meowing sounds) or loosely worded slights from immature teenagers. These should be disregarded and ignored. There have also been incidents of groping in extremely crowded places and again these pose mere nuisances more than any serious threat. Dressing more conservatively (eg: a salwar kameez – a loosefitting shirt matched with a pair of baggy pants) will definitely help you attract less attention in this respect; as well as walking around in groups as opposed to alone, or with a male companion.

Single female travellers also attract a lot of attention while travelling, whether this is on public buses, launches or on trains. Again, it is not ill intentioned in most instances; it is mostly curiosity. It is the persistence of the attention that tends to be more draining than the actual attention itself. If travelling in well-touristed places like Cox’s Bazaar, you will often find a group of people willing to ‘adopt’ a single female traveller for a period, which may help in keeping unwanted attention at bay.

Unfortunately, theft directed at single females, moving around at night (usually but not always after 22.00), seems to be a serious problem, especially in the expatriate areas of Dhaka. Far too many incidences have a single expatriate female riding a rickshaw well after dark, only to fall victim to drive-by bag snatchings. Some of these women have been pulled off the rickshaw entirely and dragged for several metres. These incidents occur mostly at night, on quiet or busy roads, but there is one common thread between them all: a single female is often the target victim. Some suggestions:

• Solo females should NOT travel around at night, by rickshaw, after 21.00–22.00. If you must travel, it is best to go in groups.
• Be vigilant while travelling/walking and keep aware of your surroundings. An alert-looking person, whose head is up and is watching the environment around them, presents less of a target than someone who is lost in their own world.
• Bags should be kept off the shoulder, so that if a bag snatching does occur, there is no risk of being dragged, which has actually caused the more serious injury in these incidences.
• A common myth is that poverty spawns these crimes, but in reality bagsnatching crimes are often committed by people with vehicles, which people in poverty cannot afford. It is theorised that it is actually young men, some of whom may be addicted to drugs, who commit these crimes and have the means (ie: a vehicle) to do so.
• If travelling out of the city at night, it is best not to accept food or drinks from strangers at train stations or bus stands, unless you see the drink being made or the food being prepared. In a recent theft, we heard of a drugging that knocked a single female unconscious. It would be a mistake to proclaim that all hospitality offered by strangers is malicious, especially in Bangladesh. But, by being aware of where a drink or food comes from, you can protect yourself.

Travelling with children

Travelling families would certainly find no shortage of interaction with local people, as children of foreign travellers will draw an extraordinary amount of attention, especially infants or young children. While families might enjoy some of the adventures provided by a stay in Bangladesh, the lack of tourist infrastructure means that families are best off sticking to Bangladesh’s well-travelled routes. Journeys to Sundarban or Srimongol should top the list, as there are enough services and things to do that either destination will provide for an interesting and safe stay. Expatriates with families will soon meet other families in a similar boat, and should refer to Chapter 3, Dhaka, in a search for things to do around town – once again, river journeys would probably be the best option for families.

In terms of schools, Dhaka has quite a few choices of varying quality and fees. Below are the recommended schools.

American International School United Nations Rd, Baridhara; tel : 02 882 2452; www.ais-dhaka.net. Dhaka’s top international school, with the fees to match. Sons & daughters of ambassadors & diplomats are all educated here.

French International School Plt 13, Rd 3, Baridhara; tel : 02 881 9956; www.pedsagogie.ac-toulouse.fr/ecofrancaise-dacca. Offers a French- & English-language curriculum, the only international school in Dhaka to do so.

Grace International School Hse 78(B), Rd 23, Gulshan 1; tel : 02 881 4469; www.graceinternationalschool.org. UK-certified education in a Christian environment, with mainly expatriate children attending.

International School Dhaka Plt 80, Blk E, Bashundhara; tel : 02 881 7101–7; www.isdbd.org; Dhaka’s 2nd choice, albeit in a bit of an odd location outside the diplomatic enclave.

The great majority of travellers to Bangladesh, including expatriates, will find almost everything they need on the ground. Naturally, this doesn’t include luxury food items such as alcohol, chocolate or fine coffees, but for just about everything else there is a local equivalent that will allow you to experience some of the local culture at the same time. On second thoughts, there is local alcohol, but as you’d expect from a non-alcoholic nation it’s often of poor quality.