U.S. Ambassador-Designate to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen and his wife, Mrs. Deanne Dao, arrived in Dhaka today.
“It is an honor for me to serve the United States as the 19th 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.”  Ambassador Brent T. Christensen said.
He was confirmed by the Senate as Ambassador on December 18, 2025.
Ambassador Christensen served most recently as the Senior Official performing the duties of Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security from January-October 2025. In this role, he oversaw the Department of State’s global efforts on security cooperation, security assistance, counterterrorism, counternarcotics, and nonproliferation.
A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ambassador Christensen previously served as the Foreign Policy Advisor to the Commander of United States Strategic Command and as Counselor for Political and Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Ambassador Christensen has held additional assignments overseas in the U.S. missions to the Philippines, El Salvador, and Vietnam. His other domestic roles include serving as Deputy Director, Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, as Special Assistant to the Special Representative for North Korea Policy, as a fellow on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, and as Bangladesh Country Officer in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. Ambassador Christensen also served as one of two career Foreign Service members of the Foreign Service Impasses Disputes Panel, part of the U.S. Federal Labor Relations Authority.
A Distinguished Graduate of the National War College, Ambassador Christensen earned a Master of Science in National Security Strategy. Ambassador Christensen likewise holds a Master of Science in Statistics from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Managerial Studies from Rice University. He speaks Spanish, German, and Vietnamese, and has studied French, Japanese, and Portuguese. Before joining the Foreign Service in 2002, he worked as a management consultant in Houston and New York City.