"It's my greatest achievement that I've made it to the land and the people where I belong," she said immediately after arrival, in a voice choked with emotion.

An Etihad Airways flight from London touched the tarmac at the Zia International Airport (ZIA) at 4:40pm, ending the former premier's nearly two months long visit to the US and UK.

The caretaker administration issued a press note on April 18, imposing restrictions on her entry into the country. But it lifted the ban after a week in the face of criticism at home and abroad.

"They will make another mistake if they do something like they did earlier by trying to prevent me from coming home," Hasina told a scrum of newsmen when asked if she fears being arrested or confined.

AL supporters, workers and leaders massed outside the airport with national flags, festoons and posters to greet the party chief.

A large procession escorted her till Biswa Road in Khilkhet. Thousands of others lined the streets as her motorcade inched its way through a huge crowd. To a cheerful Hasina, people kept waving from the rooftops, verandas and passing vehicles.

The AL chief went straight to the Bangabandhu Memorial to pay respect to the architect of the nation's independence as the party faithful cheered along the Dhanmondi road No 32.

A cross-section of people including politicians, intellectuals, and professionals went to the memorial to drop in on Hasina. To those gathered, she said, "What did I do to be kept out of my country? It feels good to be among you all."

The throng followed the leader to her Sudha Sadan residence on Dhanmondi road No. 5.

Earlier at the ZIA, a good number of AL leaders turned up at the VIP lounge to receive her though the government gave permission for 16 AL leaders.

Zillur Rahman, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Abdul Jalil, Suranjit Sengupta, Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Syed Ashraful Islam, Mukul Bose, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Abdul Mannan, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, among others, were present.

The party did not organise a public reception for its president in view of the ban on indoor politics.

"I'm grateful to the local and international media, the world leaders and those from the US, UK, and the European Union," she said, adding that she owes gratitude to the almighty Allah and also to the people and her organisation.

Asked what she would do now, Hasina said, "Let me talk to others and try to grasp the situation, and then plan things out."

Queried what her plans are for the government's stress on reform of the political parties, she said, "What's there to plan? I have just returned. Acting president Zillur Rahman's statements on reforms still stand as ours."

"The party will carry out reforms but not on someone else's terms," she said, adding, "The most important thing is they [government] have yet to explain what exactly mean by reforms."

She said the AL has been for reforms since its founding in 1949 and it does not need someone else to dictate terms on its affairs.

Asked about her previous announcement that they would give legitimacy to the current government's activities if voted to power, she said, "I don't want to comment before I learn and understand everything."

Hasina left for the US on March 15 to visit her son and daughter and was scheduled to return on April 23. During her stay overseas, she was charged with extortion and murder. Besides, a Dhaka court had issued a warrant for her arrest.

In line with the Bangladesh government's instructions, the British Airways at Heathrow denied her a boarding pass on April 23.

The government lifted the ban on April 25. Meantime, the court had suspended operation of the arrest warrant.