Bangladesh court acquits former military ruler

DHAKA (Reuters) - A Bangladesh court on Thursday acquitted former military ruler Hossain Mohammad Ershad of graft charges in an oil and defense deal, easing the way for his return to the political mainstream ahead of elections next year.

Ershad who was ousted from power in a popular movement in December 1990 still faces charges of corruption and abuse of power in half a dozen other cases.

"He has been discharged from two charges of corruption because they could not be proved for lack of valid grounds," said his spokesman Sunil Shuvo Ray.

A court official confirmed the decision which followed an acquittal in another corruption case earlier this month.

Ershad, who ruled Bangladesh for nearly nine years after seizing power in a bloodless coup in early 1982, has said that he planned to join the ruling alliance headed by Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

But the coalition has put off a decision on accepting Ershad into its fold after a key Islamist group said it may hurt the alliance in elections due next January.

Ershad has already served six years in prison in two cases and is currently out on bail in three other cases.

His supporters say the charges lodged against him were a political vendetta.