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South Asia

Bangladesh Travel Health

Reviewed by Alexander Webber, Chief Epidemiologist · Updated 2026-08

Bangladesh presents significant travel health risks, including endemic cholera, typhoid, dengue, and malaria in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The country experiences annual monsoon flooding that amplifies waterborne disease risk. Nipah virus spillover events from fruit bats have occurred in Bangladesh regularly since 2001, primarily in winter months. Healthcare infrastructure outside of Dhaka is limited, and air quality in Dhaka is among the worst globally.

Food Safety: High Risk Tap Water: Unsafe Malaria Risk Present

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Vaccines for Bangladesh

CDC Recommended

  • Hepatitis A
  • Typhoid
  • Hepatitis B
  • Rabies
  • Cholera
  • Malaria prophylaxis (for Chittagong Hill Tracts)

Source: CDC Travelers' Health — Bangladesh

Malaria Risk

Malaria risk exists primarily in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari districts). P. falciparum and P. vivax both circulate in these hilly forested areas. No significant malaria risk in Dhaka or coastal regions.

Food and Water Safety

High Risk Tap water: not safe to drink

Drink only commercially bottled or boiled water at all times; flooding contaminates water sources seasonally. Avoid raw vegetables, street food, and unpeeled fruits. Cholera and typhoid are transmitted through contaminated food and water, making strict food hygiene essential throughout Bangladesh.

Key Health Tips for Bangladesh

  • Do not drink raw date palm sap (locally called khejur rosh), which is the primary route of Nipah virus transmission to humans; outbreaks typically occur December through May.
  • Apply DEET repellent and use bed nets in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and during dengue season (April through October nationwide) to reduce vector-borne disease risk.
  • Avoid contact with dogs and other animals due to high rabies risk; Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of human rabies exposure in Asia.
  • During and after monsoon flooding, avoid wading through floodwater due to leptospirosis risk; wear rubber boots if contact is unavoidable.

Disease Risks in Bangladesh

Official Resources

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