Agency

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday praised the caretaker government's reforms initiatives and plans to reinstate an elected parliament in line with the Election Commission's roadmap.

The UN chief addressed his comments to foreign affairs adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury when the two met at the UN headquarters in New York Monday, said the Bangladesh permanent mission to the UN in a statement.

Ban Ki-moon said the manner in which the Bangladesh government was seeking to strengthen democratic norms "can be an example to many other countries", said the statement.

"Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury apprised Ban Ki-moon about the determination of the caretaker government to hold free, fair and credible elections in accordance with the roadmap before the end of December this year," said the statement.

Ban Ki-moon accepted an invitation from the foreign adviser to visit Bangladesh, saying he hoped he could make the trip within the year.

The foreign adviser pushed for greater representation of Bangladeshis at senior command level appointments to the UN peace-keeping force, both at the headquarters and in the field, it said.