Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairTarique Rahman on Sunday pledged a strict crackdown on corruption if his party was elected to power, declaring that no individual would be spared regardless of identity or position.

Addressing an election rally at the Polo Ground in Chattogram as the chief guest, he said that tackling corruption was a core commitment of their party.

‘Whoever may be involved in corruption, the law of the land will apply equally. I want to clearly say before the people that if anyone tries to sabotage our plans through corruption or by undermining the law, they will not be spared,’ the BNP chair said.

‘If the BNP is elected, the grip of corruption will be decisively broken. This is the BNP’s commitment,’ he told the large gathering.

Tarique emphasised that the law must apply equally to all, saying that crimes would not be judged by political affiliation but according to the law itself.

Calling the election meant for a change, the BNP chief said that unity was essential to make that change meaningful and to improve the  lives of the people.

Tarique also warned against renewed conspiracies to deprive citizens of their rights, recalling the experience of the past 15 years.

Urging vigilance, he called on the people to remain alert so that no one could take away their rights again.

‘I appeal to you all to stay aware and vigilant so that no one can snatch away your rights again,  your right to vote, your right to speak, and your right to live,’ he said.

The rally, jointly organised by the Chattogram city Unit BNP, north and south district units, Tarique recalled the port city’s historical and emotional significance and spoke of a range of national and local issues, including commodity price control, agriculture and industrial development, waterlogging and job creation.

He also announced youth-oriented plans, including easing access to bank loans, introducing student loans, and creating entrepreneurs.

On industrialisation and employment, Tarique said that Chattogram had already been hosting several export processing zones that had created jobs for hundreds of thousands of people, noting that these were established during the BNP’s tenure.

He said that if the BNP was voted to power on February 12, more EPZs would be set up, transforming Chattogram into the country’s commercial capital.

Referring to Chattogram’s water stagnation problem, he said that the crisis had been created as canals and drains were blocked, adding that the BNP would undertake planned canal excavation.

Leaders of the party’s standing committee, central executive committee, Chattogram city, north and south districts units, and the three hill districts and Cox’s Bazar were present on the stage.

The candidates contesting with the party’s electoral symbol in the 23 JS constituencies in the Chattogram region also joined the stage.

From the early morning, party leaders and activists began arriving at the Polo Ground, along with people from different age brackets.

As the morning progressed, the gathering spilled beyond the rally venue, with crowds stretching to surrounding areas for several kilometres.

Earlier in the morning, Tarique attended a ‘Youth Policy Talk with Tarique Rahman’ programme at the Radisson Blu Bay View hotel in Chattogram.

More than 340 students from 50 universities and colleges in and around the Chattogram city took part in the event.

After the Chattogram rally, Tarique joined five more rallies on his way back to Dhaka -- in Feni, Cumilla and Narayanganj.

Tarique Rahman had last visited Chattogram in 2005 when he joined the campaign for the Chattogram City Corporation election and addressed a public meeting at the city’s Laldighi Maidan.