Acting USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore presided over the ceremony and administered the oath of office in Washington yesterday, according to a message received in Dhaka.

As mission director for Bangladesh, Rollins will be responsible for managing health, education, economic growth, democracy and governance, peace and security, and humanitarian assistance programmes worth more than $72 million.

One of the top US priorities in Bangladesh is to help establish a more stable democracy that respects human rights and combats trafficking in persons. In addition, USAID is actively working to reduce poverty and stem potential religious extremism.

"Denise has a track record of effective programme management," stated Acting Administrator Fore. "She has had a distinguished twenty-year career with USAID, and I am confident that she is the right person to be mission director in Bangladesh at this critical time for the country."

Prior to her appointment in Bangladesh, Rollins served USAID as deputy mission director for South Africa, acting deputy mission director for Nigeria, a programme officer in Nigeria, Uganda, and Ghana, and a project development officer in Jamaica.