New US envoy arrives in Dhaka
Diplomatic Correspondent :
Newly appointed United States Ambassador, Brent Christensen, arrived in Dhaka on Monday evening, marking the start of his tenure as the 19th US envoy to the country.
Upon arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Christensen was received by officials from the US Embassy in Dhaka and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to US Embassy Dhaka the US Ambassador Brent and his wife Deanne Dao arrived in Dhaka on Monday.
Ambassador said, “It is an honour for me to serve the United States as the 19 th Ambassador to Bangladesh.
I look forward to strengthening the ties between our two countries to advance peace and prosperity in the region. My wife and I are thrilled to return to a country that holds many fond memories for us.”
Diplomatic sources said the ambassador is expected to formally begin his mission later this week by presenting his credentials.
As part of the preparatory process, he is scheduled to hold meetings with Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and Chief of the Protocol Division Nurul Islam within the next two days.
Christensen is set to present his credentials to President Mohammed Shahabuddin on 15 January, sources said.
Before arriving in Dhaka, the newly appointed ambassador expressed enthusiasm about returning to Bangladesh, a country he said he knows well.
In a statement, Christensen said he was “thrilled” to lead a strong team of American and local staff at the US Embassy and to work towards further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
He added that he looks forward to advancing President Donald Trump’s objectives, while working daily to make the United States “more secure, stronger and more prosperous”.
Brent Christensen’s appointment comes at a time when Dhaka and Washington continue to engage on a wide range of issues, including trade, security cooperation, governance and regional stability.
The United States is Bangladesh’s largest export market, and more than one million Bangladeshis live in the US, sending home over $3 billion in remittances.
American companies also play a leading role in foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bangladesh.
However, relations between the two countries deteriorated during the third term of the Awami League government from 2018 to 2023.
During this period, Washington expressed concerns about democracy, human rights, and the need for credible, transparent, and reliable parliamentary elections-issues that were overlooked by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration.
Ambassador Peter Haas was the last US envoy in Bangladesh.