The Ambassador of the United States of America to Bangladesh, His Excellency Mr. Brent T. Christensen, paid a courtesy call on the Honorable Minister for Cultural Affairs, Mr. Nitai Roy Chowdhury, at his ministry office in the Bangladesh Secretariat today morning. The meeting was held in a highly cordial, warm, and productive atmosphere.
At the beginning of the meeting, the US Ambassador fondly recalled his very first interaction with the Honorable Minister at Dhaka University and expressed great pleasure in meeting him for the second time today at his official bureau.
During the bilateral talks, both dignitaries discussed a wide range of issues aimed at strengthening the long-standing friendly people-to-people ties, educational exchanges, arts, literature, and the vibrant shared values between Bangladesh and the United States. A key highlight of the dialogue was the contribution of the US Embassy’s flagship initiative, the ‘Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation’ (AFCP). Ambassador Christensen highlighted the latest grant of $235,000 under the AFCP. With this latest funding, the total US investment in cultural preservation in Bangladesh has surpassed $1 million, supporting 13 major projects over the last 25 years.
Among the prominent AFCP-funded projects, the ongoing restoration of the Mughal-era Musa Khan Mosque at Dhaka University was highly lauded. This project aims to restore the mosque’s authentic Islamic architectural features, create a digital archive, and provide practical conservation training to young architects. Other notable projects include the restoration of the 17th-century Shakhari Bazaar in Old Dhaka, preservation of structural segments at Lalbagh Fort, and modernizing the Varendra Research Museum. The fund has also supported the documentation of Bangladesh’s intangible cultural heritage, such as Baul songs, Jamdani weaving, and ancient metal casting techniques.
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs raised the prospect of the holistic development of the historic Panam City in Sonargaon. Extensive discussions were also held on the feasibility of organizing a joint ‘US-Bangladesh Cultural Festival’, collaborative show of events, and structured Cultural Artist Exchange programs. Regarding the pending draft of the Bilateral Cultural Cooperation Agreement forwarded by Bangladesh, the US Ambassador noted that it is currently undergoing necessary administrative and legal procedures, and the US side is keen to expedite it once official clearance is obtained.
The Honorable Minister warmly congratulated the United States on the historic milestone of its 250th anniversary of independence (“Freedom 250” and “America Week 2026”). He also extended an advance invitation to the US Ambassador for the upcoming grand celebrations of ‘Nazrul Borsho’ (Nazrul Year). Upon learning about the ministry’s initiatives in translating Nazrul literature, the Ambassador shared that the US ‘Library of Congress’ extensively archives world literature and is highly interested in collecting and preserving the literary masterpieces of Bangladesh’s National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.
The high-level US delegation included Ms. Faroha Suhrawardy (Cultural Affairs Specialist), Mr. Scott E. Hartmann (Public Diplomacy Officer), Mr. Tariqul Islam Nahin (Press and Media Coordinator), and Mr. M B M Saad Bin Elahi (Protocol Assistant). Senior officials of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs were also present during the meeting.
The meeting concluded with the Honorable Minister presenting a beautiful bouquet and a special souvenir to the US Ambassador, who reciprocated with a goodwill token. Both sides reaffirmed their mutual commitment to expanding cultural diplomacy to foster deeper mutual understanding between the two nations.