Dhaka, March 17 -- As eager football fans gathered at Sylhet Osmani International Airport to welcome Hamza Choudhury, the scene quickly turned chaotic. Officials from the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) and law enforcement struggled to control the enthusiastic crowd that had come to greet him on his highly anticipated homecoming.

Despite the overwhelming excitement, Hamza tried to address the media. But the airport's VIP gate was swarming with fans, as hundreds of cameras and mobile phones were raised aloft to capture the moment. Chants of "Hamza! Hamza!" reverberated as everyone clamoured to hear him speak.

But speaking was nearly impossible. The deafening noise of drums and relentless cheers drowned out everything around him.

Ev...