Awami League is not under any international pressure ahead of the 12th parliamentary election; if there’s any pressure it’s from our own conscience, said the party’s General Secretary Obaidul Quader. “Why should we feel pressure? It is our commitment to hold free, fair elections. If you talk about pressure, then it’s pressure from our own conscience,” he said at a press briefing today (August 03, 2023), shortly after holding a meeting with US Ambassador Peter Haas at AL Central Office on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka. Also read: US has no position on caretaker govt issue: Ambassador Haas after meeting AL delegation “We have trade relations with America, we maintain friendly ties. The ambassador of the United States came to our party office. They've never been to our office before. He came, and he saw it,” said Quader. “We talked about the next election. Our commitment remains the same and it is loud and clear. We want peaceful elections. We want free and fair elections. We're talking to everyone. It's our commitment to the people of the country,” he added. Also read: Not a violation of Vienna Convention: US ambassador on raising issues about domestic political affairs “It is our sacred duty to protect democracy. We are committed to this responsibility. Bangladesh has an independent Election Commission,” said the AL leader. In response to a question, Obaidul Quader said, “We didn’t talk about any complaint. The US ambassador didn’t mention caretaker government, dissolution of parliament, resignation of the prime minister either. We talked about free, fair and peaceful elections.” “The Americans didn’t give us any advice, and there was no talk of dialogue either,” he added. Also read: US Ambassador Haas holding meeting with AL leaders at Bangabandhu Avenue office