US travel advisory level to Bangladesh lowered to 3

The United States on Wednesday lowered its travel advisory level for Bangladesh to 3, asking citizens to reconsider travel.

The level was raised to 4, the highest level, when the US asked its nationals not to travel to Bangladesh amid student protests in July and August.

The US embassy also evacuated its non-essential staff.

With the new decision, the embassy removed the "ordered departure" information.

But it asked US citizens to reconsider travel due to “civil unrest, crime and terrorism." 

The decision comes ahead of Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu's visit to Dhaka on Saturday, the first after the formation of the interim government following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina as the prime minister on August 5.

The US State Department says the visit will be focused on the economic development of Bangladesh.