A festive atmosphere prevailed along the Cumilla stretch of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway on Thursday as BNP leaders and activists gathered in large numbers to greet Prime Minister Tarique Rahman during his road journey to Feni.

BNP and its affiliated organisations made extensive preparations to welcome the Prime Minister along the 104-kilometre stretch of the highway from Daudkandi.

The Prime Minister left Dhaka for Feni by road at around 8:30am.

From early morning, thousands of BNP leaders, activists and local residents began taking positions on the northern side of the highway to catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister and greet him as his motorcade passed through Cumilla.

At Daudkandi, BNP leaders and activists gathered under the leadership of BNP’s Cumilla divisional organisational secretary Professor Selim Bhuiyan.

In Chandina, BNP leaders and activists took positions beside the highway under the leadership of local MP Atikul Islam Shawon.

At Nimsar, another key point along the highway, a large group of BNP leaders and activists gathered near the eastern end of Nimsar Junab Ali College. It

Local residents also gathered along a nearly two-kilometre stretch from Nimsar Junab Ali College Gate to the Mill Gate to greet the Prime Minister.

More than 3,000 BNP activists and supporters from Burichang Mokam Union gathered there . They also raised a demand for nationalisation of Nimsar Junab Ali College.

At Paduar Bazar and Alekharchar, thousands of leaders and supporters of Cumilla South District BNP and Cumilla Metropolitan BNP gathered with banners and festoons.

In the Sadar South and Chauddagram stretches of the highway, leaders from Chauddagram, Laksam, Manoharganj and Nangalkot also took positions with banners and festoons to welcome Tarique Rahman.

The gatherings continued as the Prime Minister’s motorcade proceeded towards Feni.