The Supreme Court of Bangladesh on Tuesday asked former military dictator and Jatiya Party (JP) chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad, sentenced to two years' jail in the Japanese boat purchase scam case, to surrender to the lower court.

Ershad was convicted by a lower court three years in prison for the graft charge in purchasing Japanese boat while he was in power from 1982 to 1990. Last week the High Court confirmed Ershad's punishment, but cut by one year.

Ershad appealed to the Supreme Court of Bangladesh against his conviction by the lower court and High Court, but the Supreme Court rejected his appeal, triggering a confusion whether he will be able to contest the national election on Jan. 22, 2007.

Ershad's lawyers said the rejection will not forbid the military dictator from contesting the general elections for which Tuesday is the last day for submission of nomination papers.

But government lawyers said Ershad, who was ousted in 1990 in a mass upsurge, will not be able to contest the general election.

Ershad's JP is considered the third largest political party of Bangladesh and his party joined the grand alliance led by the Awami League of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Dec. 18, 2006.

The Awami League sanctioned JP 50 seats out of the 300-seat parliament to contest. Ershad has submitted nomination papers for five seats to contest, the maximum number of seats one person can contest according to Bangladesh's constitution.

Source: Xinhua