The squad was received at the Zia International Airport by former Bangladesh captains, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials and family members amidst huge enthusiasm and excitement.

The Tigers looked tired after an almost 40-hour flight from the Caribbean island Barbados, where they played their last match, via London but expressed their happiness over some success and despair over the defeat against ICC associate member Ireland.

Captain Habibul Bashar and all his colleagues branded their wins as results of teamwork.

"I think what we achieved in the tournament was due to some brilliant team effort," said Bashar while talking to the reporters. Evaluating the team's performance, he said: "There was a lack of consistency in our performance... we're still a developing side."

Bashar mentioned he was not overall satisfied with the performance but at the same time it was not too bad.

"We won some good matches and achieved our goal by reaching the second round but we lost some matches badly. What makes me and the team proud is that we have earned the respect of the others as a team," said the Bangladesh skipper.

"It's a big, big achievement to earn respect from your opponents in such an important tournament.

"We proved in the tournament that if we can play to our potential then it is not impossible to beat any team. Still, we have to win matches on a regular basis," he added.

Bashar's men qualified for the Super Eights after beating pre-tournament favourites India and Cup debutants Bermuda in the group stages and then stunned eventual semifinalists South Africa in the second round to finish seventh in the tournament, ahead of Ireland.

This was the first time a Bangladesh side made it past the first round of a World Cup and their success buried bitter memories of the last World Cup held in South Africa four years ago, when they failed to win a single match.

Bangladesh returned home exactly after two months and seven days. During their long stay in the Caribbean, Dav Whatmore's charges gave the country some reasons to smile as they won seven matches out of thirteen they played including the triangular series against Canada and Bermuda before the World Cup.

Bangladesh first served the warning in the tournament after beating full-strength New Zealand in the warm-up game before securing a win against Scotland.

Bashar's men are now looking forward to continuing their impressive performance against India in the upcoming home series. India will arrive in Dhaka to play two Tests and three one-day internationals on May 7.

Bangladesh now go on a week's break.

The squad for the Test and one-day series against India is expected to be announced on April 30 and the players will report back for training on May 3.

Former national captains Shafiqul Haque Heera, Roquibul Hasan, Minhazul Abedin and Khaled Masud, former national cricketers and current selectors Athar Ali Khan and Golam Nawsher, BCB vice-presidents Shah Nurul Kabir and Gazi Golam Dastagir, and joint-secretaries Reazuddin Al Mamun and Rafiqul Islam were present to receive the cricketers with sweet meats and garlands.

Youth and Sports secretary Golam Mostafa Talukder and NSC secretary Aminul Islam Khan were also present at the airport.