DFA Tells Filipinos in Bangladesh to Exercise Caution in View of Nationwide Student Protests

06 August 2018 — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has advised members of the Filipino Community in Bangladesh to exercise caution after nationwide student protests there turned violent over the weekend.

In a statement, the DFA said the Philippine Embassy in Dhaka is closely monitoring the protests that have paralyzed public transport and resulted to injuries and damage to property.

In his report to the Home Office in Manila, Ambassador to Dhaka Vicente Vivencio T. Bandillo said the Embassy has not received reports of Filipinos among those injured in the protests.

Ambassador Bandillo said the Embassy has sent an advisory to leaders of the estimated 500 Filipinos in Bangladesh for them to exercise caution after students began taking to the streets to protest inaction over mounting student deaths resulting from motor accidents.

“The Embassy continues to coordinate with leaders of the Filipino Community to check on the safety of their members and to see if any of our kababayan have been affected by the protests and need assistance,” he said.

Ambassador Bandillo said the protests have turned violent over the weekend as police fired tear gas to clear streets of numerous roadblocks set up by the protesting students. END