Dhaka, Dec. 22 -- It is often suggested-sometimes wistfully, sometimes with great confidence-that if Bangladesh simply adopts a specific policy (or a specific set of policies), it can "become the next Singapore." This is an uplifting thought, but simple arithmetic delivers a gentle reality check. With a per capita income of mid-two thousand in market dollars, catching up to Singapore's ninety thousand dollars would require not just exceptional growth but also a fair bit of patience. Even if Singapore graciously agreed to stand still, and Bangladesh grew at its most impressive rates, the journey would take not one generation but several. Realistically, it is the sort of long-term aspiration you pass down like an heirloom-but not a five-yea...