US warns about travel to Bangladesh

US warns about travel to Bangladesh (Flickr Photo)

WASHINGTON—The United States is warning about travel to Bangladesh and tightening restrictions on family members accompanying U.S. government officials posted in the South Asian country.

The State Department says that “terrorist groups” there pose a continuing threat. It announced Thursday that only employed adult family members of U.S. government personnel can remain in Dhaka.

The traditionally moderate Muslim nation has seen a wave of extremist violence since 2015. An attack in July last year on a Dhaka restaurant popular with foreigners killed 20 hostages, including one American.

The department says the Islamic State group threatened in October to target tourists, diplomats, garment buyers, missionaries and sports teams.

The U.S. embassy in Dhaka remains open, but the department urges U.S. citizens to take “stringent security measures.”