UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called upon the authorities in all relevant institutions to ensure that the elections to Dhaka and Chittagong city corporations will be transparent, inclusive and credible.

The UN chief is encouraged by the opposition's decision to participate in the city corporation elections, his spokesperson Stephane Dujjaric said in response to questions raised concerning developments in Bangladesh, according to a release published on the website of UN News Centre on Saturday.

The statement added that the secretary-general hopes that political parties will soon find a way to overcome their differences for the sake of the country's long-term development and stability.

"The United Nations remains fully committed to supporting Bangladesh in that regard," the spokesman said.

Ban welcomed the de-escalation of violence in Bangladesh in the past weeks, he added.