US Ambassador enjoys rickshaw ride, tea–biryani in old Dhaka

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen, accompanied by his wife, experienced the heritage and culture of Old Dhaka. His visit included a rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes, visits to historic sites, and tasting local food, spending a distinctive time in the area.

On Thursday (February 5), Ambassador Christensen shared a video of his Old Dhaka visit on social media platform Facebook. The video shows him riding a rickshaw with his wife Diane from the front of Lalbagh Fort and touring different parts of the area.

In a video message, he extended greetings and said, “Good day. I am Brent Christensen, the United States Ambassador to Bangladesh. Today I am in Old Dhaka. In 2021, my predecessor Ambassador Earl Miller nominated this site for the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation to support cultural heritage conservation. This is a fine example of preservation work.”

Expressing satisfaction over the restoration work at Lalbagh Fort, he said the work carried out there was outstanding. Compared to how he had seen it a few years ago, there is no resemblance to its current condition. He mentioned that while touring the site, he realized that even though he had visited the place once before, he could not recall it clearly. He also said he was pleased to return and receive such warm hospitality.

The US Embassy said Ambassador Brent Christensen and his wife enjoyed the vibrant culture of Old Dhaka and its traditional cuisine. Their visit began with a tour of the Hammamkhana at Lalbagh Fort, which has been preserved and restored with support from the United States.

In addition, he visited the 17th-century historic Hoseni Dalan and toured the busy alleys of Old Dhaka. At one point during the visit, they enjoyed Old Dhaka’s famous spiced tea and biryani.