Photo: US Embassy, Dhaka

Dhaka, June 7, 2026 (BSS) – The United States Embassy in Dhaka has trained 60 young Bangladeshis in communication, leadership and negotiation skills through a four-day programme aimed at fostering future business and leadership ties between Bangladesh and the United States.

U.S. Ambassador Brent T. Christensen joined the closing ceremony of the programme titled “The Art of the Deal: American Excellence in Negotiation Skills” at a hotel in Gulshan today, where he praised the participants as a new generation of Bangladeshi leaders equipped with critical negotiation and leadership competencies.

The programme, supported by U.S. English Language Specialist Joanne Munisteri, brought together 60 alumni of the Access English programme from Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet.

The curriculum incorporated principles from U.S. President Donald Trump’s book The Art of the Deal alongside broader American methodologies on negotiation, communication and leadership development.

Addressing the participants, Ambassador Christensen said they had received a “masterclass on negotiation” based on insights from one of the most accomplished dealmakers.

Recalling a personal experience during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the ambassador said he had advised a foreign diplomat to read The Art of the Deal to better understand Donald Trump’s approach to leadership and negotiations.

“I saw him following exactly the principles laid out in the book,” Christensen said, referring to interactions between the foreign country’s leaders and President Trump.

The ambassador said the techniques taught during the course reflected key elements of the American approach to negotiation, including preparation, clear communication, strategic thinking, mutually beneficial partnerships and common sense.

“Successful negotiation is not just about making deals, although that’s important, but also about building relationships based on trust, solving problems and creating new opportunities,” he said.

Christensen noted that American businesses operating overseas value confident leaders who understand how Americans negotiate and communicate.

“It’s really helpful to work with and negotiate against people who understand how we Americans negotiate,” he said.

The ambassador expressed hope that the programme would contribute to stronger business-to-business relations and further enhance economic cooperation between Bangladesh and the United States.

He thanked the trainers and participants for their engagement and encouraged them to apply the skills gained during the course and share the knowledge with colleagues, classmates and communities.

“I hope that you’ll take the best practices that you learned on successful negotiation and share them with others,” he said.

The U.S. Embassy said the initiative formed part of its broader efforts to develop leadership, communication and professional skills among Bangladeshi youth and strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries.