US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent T. Christensen, savored Barishal’s traditional hospitality at the village home of Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon. Photo: BSS

BARISHAL, Aug 10, 2026 (BSS) – US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen today savoured Barishal’s traditional hospitality and culinary heritage, including fried hilsa and Gournadi’s famed rasmalai, during a luncheon at Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon’s village home.

The luncheon was hosted at the minister’s residence in Sarikal of Gournadi upazila on the second day of the US ambassador’s visit to Barishal.

Away from his formal diplomatic engagements, the occasion offered Christensen an opportunity to experience the region’s traditional cuisine and rural hospitality.

Before joining the luncheon, the US ambassador planted a sapling on the premises of the information minister’s residence.

A wide variety of traditional Bangladeshi dishes was served at the lunch, showcasing the distinctive flavours of riverine Barishal.

The menu featured hilsa, one of the signature elements of Barishal’s culinary heritage, along with ayer and several other varieties of fish.

An assortment of traditional bhorta (mashed dishes), fried items and other familiar delicacies of rural Bengal were also served.

The elaborate spread reflected Barishal’s close connection with its rivers and waterways while offering the foreign guest a glimpse of Bangladesh’s rich culinary culture and age-old tradition of hospitality.

The dessert course added another distinctly local flavour to the occasion, with Christensen being served Gournadi’s famous Sachin Ghosh rasmalai, along with traditional doi (yoghurt) and other varieties of sweets.

The warmth of local hospitality, diversity of traditional dishes and famous sweets made the luncheon a distinctive cultural experience for the US envoy during his Barishal visit.