Court orders Ershad to surrender by Nov. 21

The Supreme Court yesterday ordered former President Hussein Mohammed Ershad to surrender before the trial court by November 21.
The order of the Appellate Division, with Chief Justice Latifur Rahman presiding, followed an application of Ershad requesting exemption from surrendering before the trial court.
The Appellate Division, which heard Ershad's plea, also comprised Justice Mahamudul Amin Chowdhury and Justice Kazi Ebadul Huq.
A High Court division bench on August 24 directed the Jatiya Party chairman to surrender "immediately" upholding the verdict of the trial court, but commuting Ershad's sentence to five years' imprisonment.
The trial court found Ershad guilty in a corruption case known as the "Janata Tower Case."
Later, during the autumn vacation of the Supreme Court, a vacation bench also asked Ershad to surrender within a week after the vacation.
Again, following another plea after the vacation, a chamber judge extended the time to two weeks for Ershad to surrender before the lower court.
The Appellate Division yesterday further fixed November 21 for the hearing of the leave petition filed by Ershad against affirmation of his conviction by the High Court.
Another leave petition filed by the state against commuting Ershad's sentence by two years by the High Court Division will also be heard on the same date, along with Ershad's petition.