Dhaka, April 16 -- The US State Department says Bangladesh's future will be decided by its people, adding that democracy, elections, and people's involvement are important.

US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce made the remarks in response to a question about "Islamist extremism" in Bangladesh at a briefing on Tuesday.

She said, "Ultimately, the future of Bangladesh is going to be decided by the Bangladeshi people. They're facing what you've been describing for some -- and in others that, of course, we've seen the reports as well."

"And elections matter. I don't want to sound it trite here, but it's true. Democracy matters, and actions by people matter to confront issues that might in fact, as we've seen over the last 20, 25 yea...