Dhaka, April 17 -- The United States has stated that the future of Bangladesh lies in the hands of its people, amid growing international concern over alleged extremism and political tension in the country.

At a regular US State Department press briefing on Tuesday, spokesperson Tammy Bruce addressed a wide range of issues related to Bangladesh following a journalist's question referencing recent reports of vandalism in the capital.

The journalist cited a New York Times report and described disturbing scenes from recent protests in Dhaka, where demonstrators were seen holding images of Osama bin Laden and Nazi symbols.

The question also highlighted the targeting of American brands such as KFC and Coca-Cola in what were described as ant...