Published: 11:30 PM, 02 October 2026
Trishita Maula makes history as first BD-origin US Chargé d'Affaires
In a landmark milestone for diplomatic representation, Trishita Maula has assumed leadership of the United States Embassy in Dhaka as Chargé d'Affaires, becoming the first diplomat of Bangladeshi descent to head the American mission. Maula stepped into the post to direct operations following the departure of US Ambassador Brent T. Christensen on an official visit to New Delhi.
A seasoned Foreign Service officer with the US Department of State, Maula has immediately taken charge of key bilateral initiatives across public health logistics and defense operations. In her first major executive engagement as head of mission, she formally presented 500,000 American-manufactured dengue NS1 rapid diagnostic test kits to Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain during a handover ceremony at Kurmitola Multicare Specialised Hospital on Thursday. Provided under the US-funded Strategic Purchasing for Primary Health Care (STRIDES) initiative, the diagnostic tools are designated for nationwide dispatch to district and upazila medical centers to enable early detection during the country's severe seasonal outbreak.
Her public health outreach followed key defense-level negotiations conducted earlier in the week, where Maula led a high-level embassy delegation to confer with Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed. The discussions centered on strengthening bilateral counter-terrorism programs, technical law enforcement aid, specialized tactics, and ongoing institutional capacity building.
Raised in New York, Maula earned dual undergraduate degrees in economics and mathematics from Barnard College of Columbia University before entering the US Department of State in 2008 as a management-coned generalist. Her extensive career track in the Foreign Service encompasses prior consular service within Bangladesh, leadership as management officer at the US Embassy in Tirana, Albania, and senior administrative postings throughout Switzerland, Croatia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro.
