Travel safety comparison · Asia

Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: safety comparison

vs

Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.

· How Warnely scores risk →
Sri Lanka carries a materially lower safety risk than Bangladesh on the composite Warnely score: 36/100 against 59/100, a gap of 23 points. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Sri Lanka scores 2/5 against Bangladesh's 3/5. The US State Department currently carries a Level 3 advisory on Bangladesh and a Level 2 on Sri Lanka. Drug law diverges sharply: Bangladesh carries a tier-death regime against Sri Lanka's more permissive framework.
🇧🇩Bangladesh 🇱🇰Sri Lanka
Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) 59 / 100 36 / 100
Risk tier High Risk Exercise Increased Caution
UK FCDO advisory avoid all but essential travel to parts of country No active advisory
US State Department advisory Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution)
Global Peace Index rank #123 #97
Drug law Death penalty possible Severe (long sentences)
Women's safety rating Generally Safe Generally Safe
LGBTQ+ legal status illegal illegal
Tap water n/a n/a
Currency BDT LKR
Full guide

Is Bangladesh safe to visit in 2026?
Full guide

Is Sri Lanka safe to visit in 2026?

Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: common questions

Is Bangladesh or Sri Lanka safer to visit?

Sri Lanka has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 36/100 vs 59/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.

Is Bangladesh or Sri Lanka safer for solo female travellers?

Bangladesh is rated Generally Safe for women's safety; Sri Lanka is rated Generally Safe. Read the full guides for city-level detail.

What do FCDO and US State Department say about Bangladesh and Sri Lanka?

Bangladesh: avoid all but essential travel to parts of country (FCDO), Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) (US State). Sri Lanka: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) (US State).

More comparisons

Bangladesh vs Myanmar · Bangladesh vs China · Bangladesh vs India · Sri Lanka vs Maldives · India vs Sri Lanka · Sri Lanka vs Myanmar · Bangladesh vs Nepal · Bangladesh vs Maldives

Planning the trip? Check Bangladesh visa requirements and Sri Lanka visa requirements.

← All country comparisons