US President Donald J Trump has congratulated Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on his historic election victory, signalling plans to deepen US-Bangladesh relations in trade, defence cooperation and Indo-Pacific strategy.
In a letter dated 18 February 2026 from the White House, Donald J Trump extended his formal greetings to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman following his election as Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
“On behalf of the American people, I congratulate you on your historic election and wish you a successful term as Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh,” Trump wrote.
Highlighting the strategic dimension of US-Bangladesh relations, Trump said the partnership between the two countries is grounded in mutual respect and shared interests in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region. He emphasised that strong, sovereign nations play a central role in regional stability and economic prosperity.
On trade and economic policy, the US President referred to the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade and expressed hope for continued momentum in bilateral commerce. “As you begin your term, I hope you will help me maintain the tremendous momentum in our trade relationship through the implementation of our Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, which benefits farmers and workers in both of our countries,” he wrote.
The letter also underscored defence cooperation as a priority area. Trump expressed the expectation that Bangladesh would move forward on completing routine defence agreements that would provide its military access to advanced American-made equipment. He described US defence technology as among the best globally, signalling Washington’s interest in expanding security engagement with Dhaka.
Expressing confidence in future diplomatic engagement, Trump said he looked forward to working closely with Tarique Rahman to strengthen bilateral ties. “I look forward to working with you to make the relationship between the United States and Bangladesh stronger than ever before,” he stated.
The US President added that Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent Christensen has his full confidence, indicating continuity in diplomatic coordination between Washington and Dhaka.
The congratulatory message highlights the geopolitical and economic significance of Bangladesh-US relations, particularly in trade expansion, defence collaboration and Indo-Pacific policy alignment under the new government in Dhaka.
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