Dhaka, Dec. 14 -- BNP has announced plans for an "unprecedented" public reception for acting chairman Tarique Rahman upon his return to Bangladesh later this month, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said.

Speaking at a discussion meeting in the capital on Sunday, Fakhrul said the party was fully ready to organise a reception on a scale never seen before.

"Allah willing, our leader, after being in exile for 18 years, will return to us on Dec 25," he said.

"This is a moment of great inspiration for us all."

"Let us give him a reception on Dec 25 that no leader in Bangladesh has ever received in the past," Fakhrul said.

"We are all prepared."

The news of Tarique's return to the country emerged on Friday night.

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