Bangladesh issues caution about travelling Nepal

Bangladesh on Monday advised its nationals to avoid travelling to disaster-hit areas of Nepal amid continued heavy rainfall, flooding, landslides and snowfall, asking tourists and trekkers to exercise heightened caution until conditions improve.

The Bangladesh embassy in Kathmandu issued the temporary travel advisory, particularly cautioning Bangladeshi travelers against visiting Pisang, Chame, Manang and surrounding tourist destinations.

“Continued rainfall has triggered landslides, while snowfall has disrupted road communications in several areas, making rescue operations difficult due to the mountainous terrain and damaged connectivity,” the advisory read.

It pointed out that the situation forced Nepalese authorities to suspend trekking in several areas of Manang, Tilicho Lake, Thorong La Pass, Ice Lake, Kang La and Bhimthang.

The embassy also advised Bangladeshis to exercise caution while travelling to Pokhara and its surrounding areas as landslides disrupted road communications and access to nearby trekking destinations.

It said those who were willing to travel to Mustang, Jomsom and other mountainous destinations to remain updated about road conditions across Gandaki Province as connectivity could be disrupted at short notice.

Bangladeshi nationals were particularly advised to verify weather, road and other relevant information before planning trekking, mountaineering or travel to mountainous and landslide-prone destinations, including the Annapurna, Manang, Mustang and Manaslu regions.

They were also urged to follow instructions and safety guidelines issued by the Nepal government and local authorities.

The advisory said Bangladeshis who were already travelling in disaster-prone areas should remain in safe locations, avoid riverbanks and landslide-prone areas, check road and weather conditions before travelling, and maintain regular contact with their tour operators and the Bangladesh embassy in Kathmandu.

It, however, said the advisory was not applicable for Kathmandu and its surrounding areas.

The embassy, it said was maintaining communication with Nepali authorities and closely monitoring the situation, and would issue further updates when necessary.