Bangladesh is the world’s seventh most populous country and the third largest Muslim majority country. Notwithstanding staggering challenges stemming from rampant poverty, natural disasters, military coups and venal politics, the country has held four elections that were considered mainly “free and fair” and eschewed radical Islamism at a time when many hitherto moderate and traditional Islamic societies have succumbed to Violent Extremism (VE). Bangladesh’s moderate Islamic and democratic credentials in the face of such daunting challenges make it a valuable example to other Islamic societies even as it challenges those who claim that Islamic societies and democracy cannot cohere. This makes it an important partner for the United States and the pro-democratic world. A Bangladesh that continues to improve along these lines stands to undermine Islamists’ attempt to make the country a stronghold for their ilk who ultimately envision creating a renewed Khilafat….