Newly appointed United States Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen is set to arrive in Dhaka on January 11, ahead of the 13th parliamentary elections, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Senate confirmed Christensen’s appointment on December 18, making him the 18th US ambassador to Bangladesh.
Officials from the US Embassy met Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam at the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, where they discussed preparations for the new ambassador’s arrival, diplomatic sources said.
Following the departure of former ambassador Peter Haas in July 2024, Tracy Ann Jacobson served as acting ambassador before recently leaving the post. President Donald Trump nominated Christensen in September 2025, with the Senate confirming the nomination in December.
Diplomatic sources said the new US ambassador is expected to hold meetings with various political parties in Dhaka ahead of the elections.
In a statement ahead of his Senate confirmation hearing, Christensen said: “I look forward to leading the embassy’s Dhaka team to build strong relationships with both the current interim government and its democratically elected successor to advance the US-Bangladesh relationship.”
He described Bangladesh as one of Asia’s emerging economic powers, noting its progress toward graduating from least developed country (LDC) status as a testament to the resilience and perseverance of its people.
Christensen also said that, if confirmed, he would work to expand US business opportunities, reduce trade barriers and trade deficits, and strengthen economic ties between the two countries.
According to the US State Department, Christensen is a senior US Foreign Service officer and previously served as counselor for political and economic affairs at the US Embassy in Dhaka from 2019 to 2021.