Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be accorded a mass reception on her return home on Saturday as she won this year’s ‘Champions of the Earth’ - the highest accolade of the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP).

The reception will be accorded on behalf of the country’s people through a standing ovation on both sides of the street from the airport to Ganobhaban in the capital.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to arrive from the USA via London at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 1:30pm by a flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines with a short stopover in Sylhet Osmani International Airport.

Awami League-led 14-party alliance’s spokesman and Health Minister Mohammad Nasim on Friday urged all the people irrespective of political affiliation and views to join the mass reception with the national flags in their hands.

‘The Prime Minister’s success is the achievement of the entire nation. It’s not merely an achievement of any particular party. So, we’re urging all to accord a reception to the Prime Minister going beyond narrow partisanship,’ he said.

Nasim made the call at a joint press conference at AL president's political office at Dhanmondi in Dhaka after a meeting of the 14-party alliance there.

Earlier on Tuesday, Awami League decided to give a warm reception to the Prime Minister on her return home.

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner handed over the award to the Prime Minister at a gala reception at New York’s Hotel Cipriani Le Specialita on Sunday last.

UNEP earlier nominated Sheikh Hasina as one of the winners of its top environmental accolade, recognising her policy leadership for combating the adverse impacts of climate change.