Security/safety in Dhaka

Hello everyone!

My name is Jay and I am considering taking an expat assignment with a major energy company in Bangladesh.  My time in country would be split up between an office in Dhaka and also working in remote work settings at various north-east sites that are somewhat near the city of Sylhet.

I am excited about the potential of working in Bangladesh, but I had some questions to help me understand what it would be like, mostly around friendliness and security/safety.

I am a very open minded US based expat who has had work experience in Indonesia and elsewhere in the world.  I am open to meeting and befriending local people, and I am very comfortable in Islamic culture.

With that said, I have been made aware of issues surrounding political protests in Dhaka and also extremist violence targeted at foreign nationals.  I’ve read the reports and see the US State Department warnings. 

In actuality, can someone help me understand what it is actually like in country?  If one was to significantly limit their social presence in public in Dhaka and travel smartly elsewhere, would it be considered a safe place to work for a 40 year old man?  Is it safer because of learnings from the 2016 attacks, or has it just been lucky the last couple of years?  Also, what is the airport / customs situation like?

Thank you ahead of time for any input you might be able to share.

Jay