Bangladesh urges citizens in Nepal to stay indoors as unrest deepens

The Bangladesh embassy also advises travellers bound for Nepal to postpone their plans

The Bangladesh Embassy in Kathmandu has urged Bangladeshi nationals in Nepal to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary movement as the Himalayan country grapples with mounting political unrest.

In an urgent notice issued on Tuesday, the embassy advised all Bangladeshi citizens currently living in or stranded in Nepal to stay inside their residences or hotels until further instructions.

It also urged travellers bound for Nepal to postpone their plans, saying inbound passengers should not attempt to fly into the country “owing to the prevailing security situations until further advice.”

Bangladeshis in Nepal have been asked to contact the embassy in case of emergency at [phone] or [phone].

CITIZENS STRANDED

The unrest has stranded dozens of Bangladeshis in Kathmandu. Alongside the 36-member national football team, a 51-member delegation from the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) is also stuck in the Nepalese capital, according to the Chief Advisor's Office.

The DSCSC group had travelled to Nepal as part of an overseas study tour, but their daily programmes have been cancelled. They are scheduled to fly back to Dhaka on Sept 12.

The CAO said the delegation is making daily assessments of the situation, while the Bangladesh Embassy is maintaining close contact with them through a local coordinator.

The advisory comes against the backdrop of violent anti-government protests in Kathmandu and other parts of Nepal following a ban on social media.

The youth-led demonstrations have resulted in at least 19 deaths, culminating in the resignation of Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday.

The turmoil has forced widespread flight cancellations and brought the city to a halt.