There is no local or foreign pressure to bring the Awami League back to the upcoming national election, the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said on Friday.

He said, “The Election Commission has repeatedly said that the Awami League will not be allowed to participate in the election. There’s no pressure from home or abroad to get them back into the race. Rather, everyone is saying the Awami League committed massive killings in July and August—indiscriminately murdering hundreds of students and ordinary people. Yet, the party shows no remorse.”

Shafiqul made the remarks while talking to reporters after placing a wreath at the July Memorial on the bank of the Nabaganga River in Magura Sadar.

He said that the government is moving to amend the Representation of the People Order (RPO) to allow voters to reject unopposed candidates.

In previous elections, we saw many constituencies with only one candidate. We are bringing this amendment so that people can still exercise their voting rights. You remember the January 5, 2014 election—Awami League leaders like HT Imam manipulated the process in such a way that 154 seats were uncontested and their candidates were declared winners before the polls even took place,” he added.

The press secretary also said that the “July Charter” has been signed and that all political parties have agreed to hold the national election in February.

The election will be held in the first half of February, and it will be the most peaceful, free, and fair election in the history of Bangladesh,” Shafiq said.