Bangladesh Issues Travel Warning On India

Reading Time: 3 minutes Bangladesh has imposed stringent health screening measures at its western land ports and issued a formal advisory against non-essential travel to India, as authorities scramble to prevent the spread of a new and highly transmissible COVID-19 subvariant, NB.1.8.1, which is surging in neighbouring regions. The decision, announced by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, follows a rise in infections linked to the Omicron-descended NB.1.8.1 variant, first detected earlier this year. The government is now intensifying surveillance and control measures at key points of entry, particularly at the Benapole land port in Jashore, the busiest land border crossing between Bangladesh and India. Heightened Vigilance at Benapole At Benapole, which handles the lion’s share of cross-border land traffic with India, health officials have deployed additional personnel and introduced comprehensive screening protocols for all arrivals. “All incoming passengers are subject to temperature checks and visual symptom assessments,” said