Dhaka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, a megacity of roughly 10 million people in the city and more than 20 million in the metro area on the Buriganga River. It combines Mughal and colonial monuments, the crowded lanes of Old Dhaka, Louis Kahn's parliament building and some of South Asia's best biryani and street food.
Dhaka is not a high-violent-crime city for visitors, but it is a demanding destination. The US State Department lowered its Bangladesh advisory to Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) in July 2026, after a stretch at Level 3 following the 2024 political upheaval; the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the Myanmar border and the Rohingya refugee camps near Cox's Bazar remain do-not-travel zones. In Dhaka the everyday hazards are traffic accidents, pickpocketing and phone snatching, dengue in the monsoon months, severe air pollution from December to February and sudden political demonstrations or strikes. Most travelers who take basic precautions, use ride-hailing apps and avoid protests have trouble-free visits, and Bangladeshis are widely described as warm and hospitable. Check current government advisories before each trip.
Current safety advisory
Moderate
Essential safety tips
Practical advice that applies everywhere.
Dhaka is a busy, crowded megacity of over 20 million people; the main risks for visitors are traffic, petty theft, phone snatching, air pollution and political demonstrations.
Check the current advisory before departure: as of July 2026 the US State Department rates Bangladesh Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) after a period at Level 3; other governments may differ, so check your own.
Avoid political rallies, marches and any large gathering; hartals (general strikes) and blockades can shut roads with little notice and sometimes turn violent.
Keep phones, cameras and bags away from open rickshaw sides, bus windows and car windows in slow traffic, where snatching happens.
Use ride-hailing apps (Uber, Pathao, Obhai) or hotel-arranged cars after dark rather than hailing rickshaws or CNGs from the street.
Drink only bottled or filtered water, eat freshly cooked hot food, and use mosquito repellent all day for dengue prevention, especially from June to October.
Register with your embassy, buy travel insurance including medical evacuation, and carry photocopies of your passport and visa.
Air quality is very poor from December to February; check an AQI app and carry N95 masks.
Common scams to avoid
Recognise and sidestep tourist-targeted scams.
Inflated foreigner taxi, CNG and rickshaw fares
Drivers quote several times the local price to foreigners, especially at the airport, Sadarghat, Kamalapur station and outside hotels; CNG meters are often 'broken'.
How to avoid: Use Uber, Pathao or Obhai with the fare shown in-app, or agree the fare before getting in; a 5 km ride should be roughly 150-300 BDT (approx 1.20-2.50 USD).
Unsolicited guides and 'friendly student' offers
Strangers offer to guide, show shops or take visitors to a family home, then demand payment or lead them to commission stores.
How to avoid: Politely decline unsolicited help, book guides through a hotel or a registered operator, and agree the price before starting.
Airport greeters and taxi touts
Unofficial staff at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport claim to be from a hotel and overcharge or take visitors elsewhere.
How to avoid: Confirm the pickup with the hotel in advance, or use the prepaid taxi counters or a ride-hailing app; check the name on the sign.
Money-changing tricks
Street changers shortchange or swap notes; some offer rates that look too good.
How to avoid: Exchange only at licensed bank counters and authorised money changers and count the money before leaving.
Snatching from rickshaws and buses
Thieves on motorcycles or on foot grab phones and bags from open rickshaws, buses and car windows.
How to avoid: Keep valuables inside the bag, on the inner side of the rickshaw and out of sight; carry bags across the chest.
Unlicensed tour operators
Sundarbans and river-boat tours are sometimes sold by unlicensed operators with poor safety standards.
How to avoid: Use operators approved by the Bangladesh Tourism Board or well reviewed on international forums; confirm life jackets, insurance and route.
Health considerations
Staying healthy on your trip.
- Vaccinations
- Routine vaccines plus hepatitis A and typhoid are recommended; hepatitis B, rabies (extended stays or animal contact), tetanus, polio booster and Japanese encephalitis may be advised for some itineraries. A yellow fever certificate is required if arriving from a yellow-fever risk country. Consult a travel clinic 6-8 weeks before departure. Malaria risk is low in Dhaka but higher in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and border districts.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water. Use sealed bottled water (20-30 BDT) or filtered or boiled water; avoid ice unless made from purified water. Brush teeth with bottled water in budget hotels.
- Food
- Street food is a highlight but is the main cause of traveler's diarrhoea. Choose busy stalls, food cooked to order and steaming hot, peeled fruit and freshly opened bottled drinks. Avoid raw salads, unwashed fruit and unpasteurised dairy. Carry oral rehydration salts and see a doctor for severe or bloody diarrhoea.
- Facilities
- Good private hospitals in Gulshan, Dhanmondi, Panthapath and Bashundhara (Square, United, Evercare) serve foreigners and take cards or cash; public hospitals are overcrowded. Serious cases are often evacuated to Bangkok or Singapore, so insurance with medical evacuation is essential. Pharmacies are widespread but check expiry dates and buy from established chains or hospital pharmacies. Dengue is present year-round with a peak from July to October; use DEET repellent and long sleeves, and seek testing for fever with severe headache or pain behind the eyes.
Safety for specific travellers
Tailored advice for different groups.
Emergency contacts
Numbers to know before you go.
- Police
- 999 (national emergency: police, fire, ambulance)
- Medical
- 999 or Square Hospital +880 2-8144400
- Fire
- 199 (Fire Service and Civil Defence) or 999
- Coast Guard
- Not applicable in Dhaka; for river accidents call 999
- General Emergency
- 999 (national emergency number, Bangla and limited English)
- Main Hospital
- Square Hospital, 18/F West Panthapath, Dhaka 1205
- Embassy Us
- US Embassy Dhaka: +880 2-5566-2000 (Madani Avenue, Baridhara)
- Embassy Uk
- British High Commission Dhaka: +880 2-2222-38010 (United Nations Road, Baridhara Diplomatic Zone)