The Hindu festival of Durga Puja runs in Bangladesh from 16 to 21 October. The FCDO says to expect large crowds around festival sites and Hindu temples, increased security and traffic disruption, and notes that "There has been intercommunal violence during previous festivals." This piece turns the FCDO's advice into a short movement plan for protection teams. The FCDO lines are its own; the rest is Ops Con practice, not FCDO advice.
What the FCDO says
The FCDO advises travellers during the festival to "Remain vigilant, stay away from large crowds where possible, keep up to date with local media and follow the advice of local authorities." Its wider advice says terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Bangladesh, and lists crowded areas and religious buildings among possible targets. It says some groups have targeted religious minorities, that there have been occasional attacks against minority religious communities, and that increases in security force presence and restrictions on movement may be put in place at short notice. It also advises avoiding large gatherings and other locations with a police or security presence. The FCDO continues to advise against all but essential travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Planning the movement
Map the temples and festival sites on and near every route the principal will use, and plan primary and alternate routes that avoid them. Festival sites and processions can draw crowds into streets that are normally clear, so recce at the time of day you will travel, not the morning before. Agree a timing window for each move and the trigger for using the alternate route.
On the day
Check local media and any police notices before each move, since the FCDO warns that security measures and movement restrictions can appear at short notice. Keep the principal away from processions and crowd edges, and do not stop near a temple or a police cordon to watch. If a crowd starts to build or the mood changes, leave early rather than waiting to see how it develops.
Fuel and vehicles
The FCDO says Bangladesh faces energy and fuel shortages, with limits on fuel sales that may lead to transport disruption. Start each day with full tanks and do not plan a move that depends on refuelling. The FCDO notes that passengers in rickshaws, taxis, buses and trains are vulnerable to violent crime, particularly at night, so keep the principal in team vehicles rather than CNG auto-rickshaws or ride-hails, and plan around traffic delays near festival sites.
Afterwards
The festival ends on 21 October. Treat the last evening and the following day as part of the same risk window, and keep monitoring local reporting for any incident that could prompt protests or reprisals.
