(6 Nov 2008)
1. Wide of Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister and leader of Awami League party, Sheikh Hasina, entering airport lounge
2. Mid of Hasina waving
3. Wide of Hasina sitting with party officials
4. SOUNDBITE: (Bangla) Sheikh Hasina, Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister and Leader of Awami League Party:
"No excuse, no reasoning will be acceptable if it is a conspiracy to delay or cancel the elections. The people of this country are waiting eagerly to exercise their constitutional right to vote a government of their choice into power."
5. Wide of crowds surrounding vehicle carrying Hasina
6. Various of crowd of supporters surrounding vehicle
STORYLINE:
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned home to Bangladesh on Thursday following five months of medical treatment abroad, and spoke out against any moves to delay elections scheduled for December.
Hasina, the Bangladesh Awami League chief who faces trial on corruption charges but is out of detention on parole, appeared to aim her remarks at the leader of the rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party, who hinted on Wednesday that she may boycott the December 18 polls.
"No excuse, no reasoning will be acceptable if it is a conspiracy to delay or cancel the elections," Hasina said at the airport.
Khaleda Zia, Hasina's archrival and the BNP leader, said in a statement on Wednesday that the country is in crisis under a military-backed interim government and that the people would not accept the upcoming election.
But Hasina said people are "waiting eagerly to exercise their constitutional right" to vote for a government.
Zia did not clarify why the elections would be unacceptable.
However her party may find it difficult to contest the polls because many of its senior leaders are behind bars thanks to a crackdown on corruption by the interim government.
Zia also faces corruption charges.
Both Hasina and Zia have denied any wrongdoing, and both have been released from pretrial detention ahead of the polls.
The country has been under emergency rule since January 2007, with restrictions on political gatherings and other activities, before the state of emergency was eased on Tuesday to allow parties to campaign for the elections.
Both Hasina and Zia have a massive popular support in Bangladesh, a parliamentary democracy since 1991.
Thousands of Bangladesh Awami League supporters gathered into the streets outside Dhaka's Zia International Airport to greet their leader as she arrived on a plane from London, following several months of medical treatment in the United States.
She was then driven to her husband's residence amid tight security, Hasina aide Nuh Alam said.
Hasina left the country in June after being paroled for treatment of her ear and eye problems.
She was in jail for 11 months before being allowed to leave the country, pending trial on several corruption charges, including extortion.
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