Whereas Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971 and established a secular democratic state, which is home to Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and atheists; Whereas Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country with nearly 160,000,000 people; Whereas according to the United States Agency for International Development maternal and child mortality rates in Bangladesh have declined by more than 60 percent, production of rice has tripled, and growth in gross domestic product has averaged more than 6 percent annually for over a decade; Whereas Bangladesh has fulfilled the criteria to initiate graduation from the United Nations Least Developed Country status and could become a middle-income country within the next 3 years; Whereas in 2017, the generous people of Bangladesh welcomed more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees following the Burmese military and security force’s crimes against humanity and genocide against the Rohingya in Northern Rakhine State; Whereas in recent years, Bangladesh’s democratic system has faced challenges, including political violence, environmental strain, Islamist militancy, a refugee crisis, and challenges to freedom of speech and press; Whereas free, fair, transparent, and credible elections are the cornerstone of every democracy; Whereas legitimate elections that respect fundamental freedoms are characterized by transparency, accountability, security, and accessibility for all voters; Whereas strong democracies worldwide make for better trading partners, provide new market opportunities, improve global health outcomes, and promote economic freedom and regional security; Whereas attacks on democracy and democratic institutions undermine the sacrifices of the Bangladeshi people and the country’s commitment to human rights and the rule of law; Whereas one of Bangladesh’s main political parties boycotted the 2014 general election due to concerns about the impartiality of the electoral process; Whereas Bangladesh is scheduled to hold general elections on December 30, 2018