New US envoy Marcia Bernicat arrives today

Amid escalating political tension, US Ambassador-designate to Bangladesh Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat arrives in Dhaka today to take up her diplomatic assignment.

A diplomatic source said she would not contact the media until she presented her credentials to the president.

The US Senate confirmed the nomination of Bernicat as new US ambassador in Dhaka since her predecessor Dan W Mozena went into retirement.

On July 17 last year, Bernicat said she would work hard to support efforts to promote accountability and strengthen human rights and democracy in Bangladesh. She called the parliamentary elections of January 5 last year "undeniably flawed".