Early Contacts

The initial seeds of friendship and collaboration between everyday Bangladeshis and Americans––early immigrants, artists, scholars, architects, doctors, and entrepreneurs––began prior to Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, when the country was referred to as East Pakistan. Long before formal diplomatic ties were established, this bilateral relationship had a rich foundation that involved Americans and Bangladeshis working together, designing iconic buildings, and exchanging academic experts. Bangladeshis traveled to the United States for new business opportunities and to further their academic studies. Many returned home with advanced degrees, bringing with them their American peers and classmates who similarly found professional fulfillment in projects, such as establishing new university programs. These early people-to-people contacts created lasting partnerships, many of which still endure. They serve as the roots of the political, philanthropic, business, educational, and cultural ties that characterize the relationship between Bangladesh and the United States today.