The National Human Rights Commission chairman, Kamal Uddin Ahmed, on Thursday said that casting vote for anyone was a right while ‘not casting vote’ was also a right.

The NHRC chief made the comment while talking to reporters after attending a meeting with the Election Commission at Nirbachan Bhaban.

The Bangladesh rights watchdog chief’s comment came when the ruling Awami League, its allies and some other political parties are participating in the January 7 general election and asking voters to cast votes and the main opposition BNP and its allies are boycotting the election and asking the people not to go to poling centre amid the EC and the government’s warning of taking action against any anti-election activity.

‘Casting vote is a right, not casting vote is also a right,’ said the NHRC chief while answering to reporters.

He said, ‘We want a free, fair and impartial election in the country, and we are doing public relation activities from the National Human Rights Commission for that. And, we believe that it will complete beautifully.’

Addressing the meeting with the NHRC, the chief election commissioner, Kazi Habibul Awal, said that election-time violence could be stopped if politicians could show respect to each other.

He said that there was a very little mutual trust between political parties while creating a space of mutual trust was very important.