United News of Bangladesh

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen visited Rajshahi on Tuesday to experience the region’s renowned mangoes firsthand and learn about the district’s mango industry, agricultural potential and local development initiatives. The ambassador, accompanied by a four-member delegation, arrived at Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi on a US-Bangla Airlines flight from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the morning. From the airport, the delegation travelled by road to the historic Baneshwar Mango Market in Puthia upazila before heading to the Bangladesh Police Academy. At around 9 am, the US Ambassador visited Baneshwar Mango Market, one of the largest mango trading hubs in northern Bangladesh. During the visit, the ambassador visited several wholesale outlets, exchanged views with mango growers and traders, and learned about different varieties of mangoes produced in the region. He also sampled several locally grown mango varieties. Traders and farmers briefed him on mango production, marketing and export prospects in Rajshahi. Speaking to journalists, the US Ambassador said, “This is my first visit to Rajshahi as ambassador, although I visited the city once in 2020. This time, I specifically came during mango season because I wanted to taste Rajshahi’s famous mangoes. I am truly delighted to be here.” The ambassador said he comes from an agricultural state in the United States and therefore values the opportunity to visit places where agricultural products are grown and to experience them firsthand. Highlighting the export potential of Bangladeshi mangoes, he said Americans are very fond of mangoes, but most mangoes available in the US market are sold in frozen form. “Fresh mangoes like those available in Rajshahi are not easily found in the United States,” he said. He also stressed the importance of developing an improved cold-chain system and storage facilities to expand mango exports, saying enhanced preservation and export infrastructure could create greater opportunities for Bangladeshi mangoes in international markets. Local traders and farmers expressed hope that the US ambassador’s visit would help promote Rajshahi mangoes globally and contribute to expanding their export market.

Newly appointed US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen on Thursday presented his credentials to President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban and said he looks forward to strengthening the Bangladesh-US relationship.  “Today I had the honor of presenting my Ambassadorial credentials to President Shahabuddin. The United States is proud to call Bangladesh a friend," he said in a brief statement after the ceremony. In over 50 years of partnership, the US Ambassador said they have worked together to promote regional stability, economic growth benefiting both the two countries, and the sovereignty of their great nations. "I look forward to continuing this work and further strengthening the U.S.-Bangladesh relationship," he said. Read more: UAE rulers grant royal pardons to 440 Bangladeshi prisoners “It is an honor for me to serve the United States as the 19th Ambassador to Bangladesh,” said Ambassador Christensen who along with his wife Deanne Dao arrived in Dhaka on Monday. In a brief statement shared by the US Embassy in Dhaka soon after his arrival, he said they both are thrilled to return to a country that holds many fond memories for them.