'UN not in business of observing polls unless it receives mandate'

The United Nations will not be involved in observing the elections in Bangladesh unless it gets a mandate, the spokesman for the UN secretary-general said in New York yesterday.

"Just to point out that the UN is not in the business of observing elections unless it receives a mandate," spokesman Stephane Dujarri said while responding to a question during a regular briefing in New York on October 16.

Bangladesh has welcomed foreign observers for the upcoming national election, likely to be held in January next year.

The spokesman for the UN secretary-general also said they want to see a "free and fair" election in Bangladesh, and a climate where people can speak out "without fear of retribution" from whichever side they speak out against.