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| Ex-Bangladesh PM arrives in Dhaka | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Bangladesh's former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has arrived back in Dhaka after successfully overturning the ban preventing her return. | |
| The Awami League president was left stranded in London a week ago after the country's emergency government said she was a threat to national security. | The Awami League president was left stranded in London a week ago after the country's emergency government said she was a threat to national security. |
| She has spent almost two months abroad, as the caretaker government tried to force her into exile. | She has spent almost two months abroad, as the caretaker government tried to force her into exile. |
| Sheikh Hasina arrived in the country under tight security. | |
| 'Gatherings baned' | |
| "It's my country, it's my home. I'm so excited to be able to return to my country," Sheikh Hasina told reporters at Dhaka's Zia International Airport after arriving from London. | |
| The military-backed government, which implemented a state of emergency in January, has banned political activity, but members of Sheikh Hasina's party applied for permission to meet her at the airport. | |
| "We have applied to the government to allow 100 of our leading figures at the airport," Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil told the AFP news agency. | "We have applied to the government to allow 100 of our leading figures at the airport," Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil told the AFP news agency. |
| The military-backed government says it wants an end to corruption | The military-backed government says it wants an end to corruption |
| "We have asked our party activists not to mass at the airport because all sorts of gatherings are banned during the emergency," he said. | "We have asked our party activists not to mass at the airport because all sorts of gatherings are banned during the emergency," he said. |
| The BBC's John Sudworth in Dhaka says that if the government had had its way, Sheikh Hasina would now be adjusting to life in exile. | The BBC's John Sudworth in Dhaka says that if the government had had its way, Sheikh Hasina would now be adjusting to life in exile. |
| Instead, our correspondent says she is returning to a hero's welcome. | Instead, our correspondent says she is returning to a hero's welcome. |
| The government had earlier warned that political reform would be difficult if Sheikh Hasina and her rival, former Bangladesh Nationalist Party Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, stayed on the scene. | The government had earlier warned that political reform would be difficult if Sheikh Hasina and her rival, former Bangladesh Nationalist Party Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, stayed on the scene. |
| It warned international airlines not to carry Sheikh Hasina home from a holiday abroad and tried to persuade Khaleda Zia to leave for Saudi Arabia. | It warned international airlines not to carry Sheikh Hasina home from a holiday abroad and tried to persuade Khaleda Zia to leave for Saudi Arabia. |
| 'Biggest betrayal' | 'Biggest betrayal' |
| But our correspondent says that international pressure and opposition at home forced the government to abandon the exile strategy. | But our correspondent says that international pressure and opposition at home forced the government to abandon the exile strategy. |
| Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina has said she is seeking $2m in damages from British Airways for complying with the Bangladesh government's request not to issue her with a boarding card. | Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina has said she is seeking $2m in damages from British Airways for complying with the Bangladesh government's request not to issue her with a boarding card. |
| She is returning today on another airline. | She is returning today on another airline. |
| In an interview with the Asian Age newspaper on Sunday, Sheikh Hasina said the government had lied to her. | In an interview with the Asian Age newspaper on Sunday, Sheikh Hasina said the government had lied to her. |
| Khaleda Zia has resisted attempts to be forced in to exile | Khaleda Zia has resisted attempts to be forced in to exile |
| "The biggest betrayal was that they would not let me return to the country," she said. | "The biggest betrayal was that they would not let me return to the country," she said. |
| The new government says that it is determined to continue its nationwide crackdown on corruption, and has arrested more than 150 top politicians, civil servants and businessmen. | The new government says that it is determined to continue its nationwide crackdown on corruption, and has arrested more than 150 top politicians, civil servants and businessmen. |
| It has said that polls will be held no earlier than late 2008, after its anti-corruption drive and voting reforms have been completed. | It has said that polls will be held no earlier than late 2008, after its anti-corruption drive and voting reforms have been completed. |
| Sheikh Hasina was charged with murder and extortion last month, but police have suspended a warrant for her arrest pending further investigations into the deaths of four members of an Islamic during unrest last year. | Sheikh Hasina was charged with murder and extortion last month, but police have suspended a warrant for her arrest pending further investigations into the deaths of four members of an Islamic during unrest last year. |
| Police said she could still be arrested over an extortion case filed by the Bangladeshi head of a Malaysian company. | Police said she could still be arrested over an extortion case filed by the Bangladeshi head of a Malaysian company. |