'Thrilled to return to Bangladesh': Brent Christensen sworn in as US ambassador
The new envoy is expected to arrive in Dhaka on 12 January.
Brent Christensen has been sworn in as the new United States ambassador to Bangladesh at the US State Department in Washington.
The US Embassy in Dhaka shared the development in a Facebook post today (10 January), welcoming Christensen as the newly sworn-in ambassador.
"I am thrilled to return to Bangladesh, a country I know so well," the embassy quoted him as saying.
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"I am excited to lead a great team at Embassy Dhaka, Americans and locally employed staff alike, to enhance US-Bangladesh relations, advance President Trump's agenda, and work hard every day to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous," Christensen said.
Christensen is expected to arrive in Dhaka on 12 January.
A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Christensen brings significant experience in South Asian affairs to the role.
He is already a familiar face in Dhaka's diplomatic circles, having served as the counsellor for political and economic affairs at the US Embassy in Bangladesh from 2019 to 2021.
Earlier in his career, he also held the position of Bangladesh country officer at the State Department.
The US mission in Dhaka had been operating without a full-time ambassador since Peter Haas concluded his eventful tenure in the summer of 2024. In the interim, the embassy was led by a series of charges d'affaires.
The Bangladesh mission in Washington has issued a five-year visa to Christensen as per the diplomatic practices of both countries. Bangladeshi diplomats, posted in different cities of the US, also get a five-year visa.
Meanwhile, Christensen held a dinner meeting with the Bangladesh ambassador to the US, Tareq Md Ariful Islam, at a restaurant in Washington, DC on Tuesday evening (6 January), according to sources in Dhaka and Washington.
Tareq discussed matters of mutual interest and contemporary issues with Christensen.
The US is the largest export market for Bangladeshi goods. Over one million Bangladeshi diaspora currently live in the North American country, who send home over $3 billion in remittances. American companies also lead in FDI in Bangladesh.
"I am honored to be confirmed by the United States Senate and deeply grateful to President Trump for the opportunity to serve as the next United States Ambassador to Bangladesh," Christensen had expressed his gratitude on his verified LinkedIn page following his confirmation as the new ambassador.
During his nomination hearing at the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, he said the US supports Bangladesh in its journey toward a bright and democratic future.
Christensen also highlighted his more than two decades of experience working on US policy toward Bangladesh throughout his Foreign Service career, including a previous posting in Dhaka.
