Abul Kashem, the Bangladeshi truck driver who was abducted by an Iraqi guerilla group fighting the US and British troops in their homeland, returned home yesterday.

Kashem returned two weeks after the militants handed him over to a rights activists infraq, ending his 55-dayconfinement.

"I feel I am reborn," said Kashem as reporters surrounded him upon his landing at the Zia International Airport.

He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan and all others for their efforts to get him released. FROM PAGE 1

Bangladesh Ambassador to Kuwait Nazrul Islam Khan accompanied Kashem in a Bangladesh Biman flight

Cameras flashed in when Kashem took and hugged his two-year-old daughter.

"lam very happy," told Kashem's wife to newsrrien.

A large number of people assembled at theairport tn greet him.

Kashem, working for a Kuwait company, was abducted on October 19 as he was driving with supplies for a US military camp in Iraq from Kuwait.

The 45-year old truck driver described his ordeal during the captivity.

"After about 15 days, we were taken to a nearby jungle where our abductors killed two Iraqis on charges of collaboration with the US troops," hesaid.

The guerillas took a softer attitude towards him 'for being a Muslim and national of friendly Bangladesh' and brought him back to the hideout with assurance of release.

Kashem said the guerillas asked him to convey a warning asking all Bangladeshis 'not to visit Iraq to help the occupation forces'.