Dhaka, Dec. 22 -- Syed Ehsanul Huda, chief of the Bangladesh Jatiya Dal, has joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), formally dissolving his own party to contest in the February elections under the Paddy Sheaf symbol.

The joining ceremony took place on Tuesday afternoon at the BNP chairperson's office in Gulshan, where Ehsanul was welcomed into the party by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir with a bouquet.

Ehsanul will run from the Kishoreganj-5 constituency.

Fakhrul said, "They are expressing confidence in the firm leadership of acting chief Tarique Rahman and reaffirming trust in the 19-point programme of founder Ziaur Rahman and in chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. We hope their joining will boost the BNP's strength....