A former dictator of Bangladesh has been cleared of corruption charges.
A court in Dhaka Thursday acquitted Hussain Muhammad Ershad of charges he illegally withdrew about four-thousand dollars of money deposited as income tax.
National media report the ruling could pave the way for Mr. Ershad's Jatiya Party to join Bangladesh's coalition government. Both the ruling BNP coalition and opposition parties have been courting the Jatiya Party ahead of national polls scheduled for January.
Mr. Ershad was Bangladesh's military ruler from 1982 to 1990.
Zahurul Alam has more on the story.
