Dhaka, Jan. 6 -- The United Nations has said it will not send election observers to Bangladesh's upcoming parliamentary vote, scheduled for Feb 12.

Responding to questions at a UN briefing in New York on Tuesday, the Secretary-General's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the organisation does not deploy election observers unless there is a mandate from either the UN General Assembly or the Security Council.

"The UN itself doesn't send observers unless there is a mandate," he said, adding that he would check whether the UN's country office in Bangladesh was providing any technical assistance, which he said was more common.

Dujarric declined to comment on the political significance of the return of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting...