Dhaka, - Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed returned home Thursday, saying she wants to rescue her people from hardship and contest the December parliamentary elections.

Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters gave a grand reception to Hasina, the head of Bangladesh's Awami League party, on her return after five months of medical treatment abroad.

The former premier said on her arrival from Britain that her people were in hardship, and "only an elected government can rescue the nation from the crisis"

Bangladesh has been ruled by a military-backed caretaker government since 2007.

"People are passing their days in hardship. They do not have any work to support themselves. They are frustrated by their sufferings," Hasina told reporters at Zia International Airport.

She promised, if voted to power, to halt sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities that caused suffering to low and middle-income groups of the poverty ridden country.

Calling for unity, the former prime minister said her party would forge alliances with all progressive forces to fight poverty, the number one enemy of the South Asian nation of 153 million people.

She emphasized the importance of holding of the December general election as scheduled, saying "The election should not be deferred or foiled by any excuse."

Bangladesh's military-backed interim government has fixed a December 18 election date for the country's transition to democracy, bringing an end to the nearly two years of emergency rule.

The former prime minister was escorted by members of the elite Special Security Force while she was driven to her private Sudha Sadan residence.

Supporters stood by sides of thoroughfares along the 20 kilometres from the airport to her home to welcome their leader.

Many of them were seen holding portraits of Hasina, her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of the country, and a boat, the party's election symbol, chanting pro-election slogans, asking the people to vote their party to power.

The Awami League chief was detained by the army-led joint forces in July 2007 on graft charges. She left for the Unites States in June, a day after she was paroled for medical treatment. Graft cases filed against Hasina were stayed by courts. (dpa)