On 11 January 2023, the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka issued a Security Alert, which reads in part as follows: “Bishwa Ijtema, the world’s second-largest Muslim gathering, will occur in Bangladesh on January 13-15 and 20-22, on the banks of the Turag River in Tongi. The main gathering point is about three kilometers north of Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. About four million attendees are expected to participate.
“This annual event will have a major impact on vehicular and pedestrian traffic patterns throughout Dhaka. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police, in an effort to ease traffic congestion, are expected to limit vehicular access on several of Dhaka’s major thoroughfares.
“We encourage you to review your scheduled travel through and around Dhaka during the above listed timeframes and factor in additional transit time. Individuals traveling to Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport should have their airline tickets in possession and be prepared to present their airline tickets at police checkpoints.”
