Newly-appointed US Ambassador Brent Christensen arrives in Dhaka

Newly-appointed US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen arrived in Dhaka this evening, two days after taking the oath in Washington DC.

A diplomatic source confirmed his arrival, while the US Bureau of South and Central Asia said on X, “Ambassador Christensen brings deep experience and expertise in US-Bangladesh relations. We look forward to his leadership in strengthening our trade partnership and promoting US interests in Bangladesh.”

Christensen, a career foreign service official, has worked on US policy towards Bangladesh for over 20 years, including a prior tour in Dhaka.

In a statement issued by the US Embassy in Dhaka on January 10, he said, “I am thrilled to return to Bangladesh, a country I know so well. 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.”

Since Peter Haas’s resignation in June 2024, the embassy had been led by Helen LaFavre, Megan Bouldin, and Tracey Ann Jacobson, who served as Chargé d’Affaires.

Christensen most recently served as the Senior Official performing the duties of Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security from January to October 2025, overseeing global efforts on security cooperation, counterterrorism, counternarcotics, and nonproliferation.

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, he previously served as Foreign Policy Advisor to the Commander of United States Strategic Command and as Counselor for Political and Economic Affairs at the US Embassy in Dhaka.

His overseas assignments have included postings in the Philippines, El Salvador, and Vietnam, while domestically he has served in roles such as Deputy Director of the Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers, Special Assistant to the Special Representative for North Korea Policy, and Bangladesh Country Officer in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

He also served as one of two career Foreign Service members of the Foreign Service Impasses Disputes Panel under the US Federal Labor Relations Authority.

Christensen is a Distinguished Graduate of the National War College, holding a Master of Science in National Security Strategy, a Master of Science in Statistics from Texas A&M University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Managerial Studies from Rice University. Before joining the Foreign Service in 2002, he worked as a management consultant in Houston and New York City.