US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen on Thursday stated that military-to-military cooperation and strong people-to-people ties remain the foundation of the Bangladesh-US partnership, describing music as a unique bridge that brings the two nations closer together.
Speaking at a musical performance jointly organised by the Bangladesh Air Force Band and the US Army’s 25th Infantry Division “Tropic Lightning” Band at the Air Force Museum in Dhaka, the ambassador remarked that military musicians are among the finest diplomats because they communicate through the universal language of music.
The event itself was organised as part of the US Embassy’s “Freedom 250 America Week” celebrations, which mark the 250th anniversary of the United States.
“We’re thrilled to be here for this event with the Bangladesh Air Force, our good friends and partners,” the ambassador said, while explicitly thanking the Bangladesh Air Force for hosting the joint performance.
Referring to the Air Force Museum as an ideal venue, Christensen noted that the setting itself symbolised the close partnership shared between the air forces of both countries.
He further explained that the collaboration between the Bangladesh Air Force Band and the US Army’s 25th Infantry Division Band reflected the strong relationship that exists between the two militaries.
The ambassador pointed out that although members of the two bands had met for the very first time on the day of the performance, they immediately connected through their shared language of music.
“For them to come together and collaborate like this is really a testament to the kind of ties that we can build quickly between our military and between our peoples for the betterment of both our nations,” he said.
Christensen emphasized that such exchanges demonstrate that bilateral relations extend well beyond standard defence cooperation and remain firmly rooted in people-to-people connections.
He stated that these deeper human ties actively underpin all aspects of Bangladesh-US cooperation and continue to strengthen the overall relationship.
The ambassador also expressed his appreciation to all the participants for joining the “Freedom 250 America Week” celebrations.
Furthermore, he invited people to take part in additional events scheduled to be held across Bangladesh over the coming week and throughout the remainder of the year as part of the United States’ 250th anniversary observances.
The joint musical event was widely attended by officials from the US Embassy, Bangladesh Air Force personnel, invited guests, and various members of the media.
