As Bangladesh prepares for its first high-voltage general election since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina on February 12, the world is watching closely. With the Awami League absent from the race, surveys suggest the BNP is leading the charge. Amidst this political fervor, a significant diplomatic move has been announced: S. Paul Kapoor, the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, is set to visit Dhaka shortly after the polls.

Born in Delhi to an Indian father and an American mother, Kapoor was nominated by the second Trump administration to succeed Donald Lu. US Ambassador Brent Christensen has already discussed the planned visit with Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, indicating that Kapoor is likely to visit from March 6 to 9. The visit is aimed at strengthening the Dhaka-Washington partnership, especially following a recent trade deal that reduced US tariffs on Bangladeshi goods.

Kapoor is a distinguished academic with a PhD from the University of Chicago and currently serves as a professor at the US Naval Postgraduate School and a visiting professor at Stanford University. Known for his strategic views on countering Chinese influence in South Asia, his visit post-elections will be pivotal in defining the future of US-Bangladesh relations under the new regime.