US embassy cable - 05DHAKA3977

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 003977 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR GC/ANE, AID/W FOR CHRIS LA FARGUE, ANE/SAA (A) DESK 
OFFICER 
 
R.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: OTRA, BG, RP, Country Clearance 
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR MR. NOEL ANDERSON, 
SPECIAL AGENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL INSPECTOR 
GENERAL IN MANILA. 
 
 
1.  Embassy Dhaka welcomes Mr. Noel Anderson on his o/a 
August 14 - August 18, 2005 visit and grants country 
clearance, contingent repeat contingent on obtaining a 
Bangladeshi visa in their passport prior to arrival in 
Bangladesh (see Paragraph 3.D. and 3.E. below). The 
purpose of the visit is to conduct interviews with 
USAID staff.  The following person will be your control 
officer:  (A) Mission Director Ms. Beth Paige. Contact 
information:  Phone (Office) 88-02-885-5500 Ext. 2303, 
(Home) 882-885-5569; (FAX) 882-3648, 882-2115 E-mail 
address:  bpaige@usaid.gov.  The level of clearance for 
Mr. Anderson is Top Secret. 
 
2.  The Mission's workweek is Sunday-Thursday 0800 
hours to 1630 hours. 
 
3.  Comments: 
 
A.    The travelers are advised to carry a copy of this 
cable with them for reference. 
 
B.  Hotel reservation has been made at the Royal Park 
Residence, House No. 85, Road No. 25A, Block-A, Banani, 
Dhaka. Phone numbers are: (8802) 881-5945-6, Fax 
(8802)881-5299 which is within Embassy per diem. 
 
C.  Embassy expediter will meet and assist upon arrival 
at the airport. Arrival o/a August 14 on TG 321 and 
departure on KA 111 o/a August 18, 2005.  Travelers 
making more than one connecting flight should consider 
rechecking their baggage, especially if transferring 
within the region.  Embassy also advises carrying a 
change of clothes and all important documents in your 
carry-on bags. 
 
D.  IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE:  Personnel entering 
Bangladesh are required to possess a valid passport, 
with a minimum validity of six months.  A valid visa is 
required prior to arrival.  There are no exceptions. 
Any traveler arriving without a valid visa will be 
returned to the United States or their county of origin 
upon the next available flight.  Visas are no longer 
issued upon arrival.  Please ensure that you visa is 
valid for at least six months after your scheduled 
departure date from Dhaka. 
 
E.  In special circumstances, Post will arrange for an 
airport visa upon arrival for persons originating 
travel to Bangladesh from countries where there is no 
Bangladesh visa-issuing mission.  For an airport visa 
we require (1) a faxed photocopy of the traveler's 
passport bio-data page, sent to 880-2-882-4449 at least 
7 calendar days in advance; and (2) a statement from 
the losing post that there is no Bangladesh mission in 
country.  The Embassy will not, repeat, not provide 
this service to persons originating travel in countries 
that have a Bangladesh visa-issuing mission.  However, 
we urge all travelers to attempt to obtain a visa prior 
to traveling to Post. 
 
4.    Departure and onward travel:  All departing 
personnel (including holders of diplomatic and official 
passports) are urged to use the services of the U.S. 
Mission's travel agent for reconfirming onward travel 
and to verify if the departure tax, approximately Taka 
300 or USD 5.17, has been included in the cost of the 
ticket.  If not included, each traveler will be 
required to pay the departure tax, in Taka only, at the 
airport. 
 
5.  Action Request:  Fiscal Data.  Each visitor must 
provide fiscal data to cover costs of the visit if 
those costs are not being supported by an agency at 
post.  Each agency, organization or visiting delegation 
will be charged for the actual costs attributed to 
their visit.  These costs include, but are not limited 
to American and LES staff overtime, pouching service, 
field travel by Embassy employees, bus rentals, cell 
phone rental, long distance telephone calls, equipment 
rentals, office supplies, expeditor services, 
representational events and all other costs which are 
directly attributable to the visit. 
 
6.  Currency:  The local use of U.S. Dollars (USD) is 
prohibited by law, except for the payment of a hotel 
bill.  The local currency, the Taka, must be used for 
all other local transactions.  Accommodation exchange 
is available at the Chancery through the American 
Express bank cashier.  The exchange rate fluctuates and 
is currently approximately Taka 63 to USD 1.00. 
Reverse accommodation exchange is available only at the 
original place of exchange with original documents and 
receipts as proof.  Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) 
are limited and dispense Taka only.  Traveler's checks 
cannot be used in most establishments except 
international hotels.  However, the Citi Bank at the 
Chancery will cash traveler checks for Taka only.  Most 
major credit cards are accepted at international 
hotels. 
 
7.    Club and Commissary: 
 
A.  The American Recreation Association (known as ARA 
or "The Club") facility is available to U.S. citizen 
official visitors for a temporary membership fee of USD 
10.00 per week.  This can not be pro-rated for a 
shorter visit.  In addition to the membership fee, you 
will be required to purchase a cash card, USD 10.00 per 
card or Taka 600.00.  A copy of your passport data page 
or a passport-sized photograph is necessary to obtain a 
cash card.  This card will enable you to have meals and 
use club facilities (which include tennis court, squash 
court, swimming pool, exercise room, and 
restaurant/bar.) 
 
B.  The U.S. Commissary facility is available to U.S. 
citizen official visitors who are USG employees. 
However, payment is permitted only by USD personal 
check or traveler checks.  Cash dollars and local 
currency payments cannot be accepted. Change will not 
be provided for transactions using traveler checks. 
Therefore, smaller denomination traveler checks would 
be more useful. 
 
8.  Health:  Intestinal problems are common in Dhaka. 
Visitors must exercise care in what they eat and drink; 
food-borne diseases are common.  Presume that all tap 
water is contaminated, even in hotels.  Travelers are 
advised to drink bottled/boiled water and eat only 
fruits and vegetables that have been cooked and peeled. 
Undercooked meat should be avoided.  Travelers should 
also avoid eating uncooked dairy products and food sold 
on the streets.  Visitors who take medication on a 
regular basis should bring enough for the duration of 
their visit.  It is not always possible to find 
equivalents for American prescriptions on the local 
market.  In general, local medical facilities are 
substandard.  The U.S. Mission has a Medical Unit 
staffed by a U.S. Physician and registered nurses. 
Travelers venturing outside Dhaka are advised to use 
standard anti-malaria prophylaxis, including taking 
appropriate anti-malarial medication, using mosquito 
protection and the use of bed netting.  It is strongly 
recommended that all visitors bring a supply of 
mosquito repellent to Dhaka.  There have been cases of 
mosquito-borne illnesses, including malaria and dengue 
fever, which is transmitted by a day-biting mosquito. 
The only effective repellant we are aware of contains 
DEET (20% DEET is the maximum that is considered safe 
for children).  Supplies are usually available in the 
commissary; however it is a good idea to have your own 
supply should you arrive in Dhaka when the commissary 
is not open.  We also recommend that travelers have 
updated immunizations, especially an up-to-date typhoid 
immunization (either oral or injectable.) 
 
9.  Security: Bangladesh continues to experience some 
anti-American sentiment as the result of U.S. military 
and other actions in the war against terrorism, and 
events in the Middle East.  Anti-American 
demonstrations throughout Bangladesh, which generally 
occur on Friday afternoons, have the potential to take 
place any time and to be unruly.  In addition, the 
longstanding confrontation between the two leading 
political parties has prompted general strikes 
(hartals), public demonstrations and marches.  They can 
be called on very short notice and can turn violent. 
Normal vehicular traffic is discouraged during hartals. 
Visitors should strictly avoid all political protests, 
demonstrations and marches.  They should consider 
possible security risks in deciding whether to attend 
other gatherings. 
 
10.  Post policy authorizes travelers visiting post to 
hand carry an unclassified laptop into the Controlled 
Access Area providing that the laptop is transported 
under the immediate personal control of the traveler, 
or is transported via diplomatic pouch, with prior 
approval of the RSO.  All travelers must also maintain 
continuous, immediate custody of a laptop while in the 
CAA.  Further instructions will be given during the 
security brief upon arrival. 
 
11.  The Embassy advises Americans to be aware of their 
surroundings at all times, to avoid predictable 
behavior, and not to accept packages from unknown 
individuals.  Sensitive or personal matters should not 
be discussed over local telephone lines. 
12.  The State Department has classified the crime 
threat in Dhaka as high.  Foreigners are not generally 
the target of violent crime.  However, pick-pocketing, 
purse-snatching and other forms of street crime occur 
frequently, especially in areas frequented by 
foreigners.  Visitors should avoid walking alone after 
dark, carrying large sums of money, or wearing 
expensive jewelry.  Valuables should be stored in the 
hotel safety deposit box and should not be left 
unattended in hotel rooms.  Visitors should use the 
Embassy Motor Pool as the Chief of Mission has declared 
public transportation to be unsafe. The Regional 
Security Officer strongly discourages the use of 
rickshaws, baby taxis, and other public transport.  In 
addition, you should keep the Embassy's 24-hour 
emergency telephone number available at all times (880- 
02-885-5500); receptionists are on duty 24 hours a day. 
 
13.  Agency specific general information.  N/A 
 
14.  We look forward to your visit.  Chammas