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DHAKA : The United Nations has expressed deep concern over Bangladesh's upcoming national election, saying an opposition boycott had left the polls "severely jeopardised".
"The United Nations is deeply concerned by the deteriorating situation in the country, and urges all parties to refrain from the use of violence," a statement said.
"The political crisis in Bangladesh has severely jeopardised the legitimacy of the electoral process. The United Nations is concerned that Bangladesh's democratic advances and international standing will be affected if the current crisis continues," it added.
Bangladesh is due to go to the polls on January 22 despite a boycott by an alliance of opposition parties including the main opposition Awami League.
The opposition has accused the outgoing government of trying to rig the elections by appointing biased officials to an election commission which it alleges drew up a voter list with 14 million fake names.
It has staged dozens of national strikes and blockades which have repeatedly brought the country to a standstill and cost businesses in the impoverished country millions of dollars.
At least 35 people have been killed in pre-election unrest since the outgoing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) handed power to a supposedly neutral interim government at the end of October. - AFP /dt
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