Rumours spread by BNP were cleared during the meeting with the joint IRI and NDI pre-election assessment mission, said Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader.

"We do not want to speak ill about anyone. But BNP is spreading many rumours in the country through rallies and processions. They have rained many complains against us. So, we had to make sure they know the correct information," said the Awami League leader following a meeting between the US pre-election assessment mission and an Awami League delegation at the city's Sheraton hotel on Monday.

The US pre-election assessment also clarified they did not come to Bangladesh to work as negotiators, but to observe a fair election.

"However, they talked about compromise and adjustment with BNP.  We told them that BNP has blocked all options of compromise and adjustment," he added.

The meeting between the joint IRI and NDI pre-election assessment mission and an Awami League delegation was held at Hotel Sheraton in Dhaka from 12:30pm to 2:30pm on Monday (9 October).

The Awami League delegation was led by its General Secretary Obaidul Quader, and the other members of the team are praesidium members Muhammad Farooq Khan, International Secretary Shammi Ahmed, Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Information and Research Secretary Salim Mahmud and executive member Md Ali Arafat.

Prior to the meeting with Awami League, the pre-election assessment mission met with BNP at 10:20am at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office.

The joint International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) pre-election assessment mission arrived in Bangladesh on Saturday (7 October) to follow electoral preparations and conduct an independent and impartial assessment.

From 8 to 12 October, the six-member delegation will meet with a diverse group of election stakeholders including government officials, political party leaders, election authorities, civil society, and others.

The delegation is co-chaired by Karl F Inderfurth, Former Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs and Bonnie Glick, former deputy USAID administrator. It also includes Maria Chin Abdullah, former member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia; Jamil Jaffer, former associate counsel to the President of the United States; Manpreet Singh Anand, NDI regional director for Asia-Pacific; and Johanna Kao, IRI senior director, Asia-Pacific Division.

The delegation will conduct its assessment in accordance with the laws of Bangladesh and consistent with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation which was signed in 2005 at the United Nations.

Following the conclusion of its activities, the delegation will release a statement of its key findings, analysis of the pre-election environment, and practical recommendations to enhance the credibility of the process and citizen confidence in the elections.

NDI and IRI are nonpartisan, non-governmental organisations that support and strengthen democratic institutions and practices worldwide.

The Institutes have collectively observed more than 200 elections in more than 50 countries over the last 30 years.