Dhaka, Dec. 25 -- foot road in Bashundhara, Dhaka, has turned into a sea of people, with thousands gathering to welcome BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, marking his homecoming after nearly 17 years of exile in London.

The 300-foot road and nearby areas were already packed by 8:00am.

Leaders and activists of the BNP and its associate bodies filled the area in front of the stage and its surroundings, leaving no room even to move.

The stage has been prepared with 19 chairs, while members of the security forces are deployed around the stage and across the venue.

Supporters from different parts of the country have been arriving since early morning. Shamim, who came from Feni, reached Dhaka before dawn.

"We have only seen Tarique Bhai o...