A former Portuguese MP and member of the European Parliament has endorsed Bangladesh's election process and termed the caretaker system anti-democratic.
Paulo Casaca observed the 12th national parliament election on Sunday as executive director of the South Asia Democratic Forum.
After the daylong voting, he met the press at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.
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As the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the poll, demanding a caretaker government to oversee the election, a journalist asked whether results can really be interpreted as reflecting the will of the people.
“Yes, no doubt about that,” Paulo Casaca replied.
He also said that the caretaker government system only exists in Pakistan.
"In Bangladesh, it was also used. But fundamentally this is anti-democratic," he said.
"Democracy is, of course, a choice. Of course it’s polarization, but it cannot be toxic polarization. The choice was taken out by your main opposition by not showing up," he said.
"But what is the alternative. It’s coup d’état. Is this a good thing? Is the dictator and coup d’état the best alternative to low turnout?' he said when asked about the low turnout of voters.
The Election Commission, however, said the turnout could be more than 40%.