Bangladesh will hand over the general secretary of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), Anup Chetia to India any time. The authorities concerned have already completed the process to hand over the ULFA leader, sources in the home ministry said on Sunday. A high official of the home ministry told this correspondent on condition of anonymity that the ULFA leader, whose prison term ended in 2003, would be handed over to India in accordance with the agreements on transfer of sentenced persons (TSP) and mutual legal assistance (MLA) in criminal matters. At the same time, two other members of the front are likely to be handed over to India, he said.
“Under the treaties, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is likely to hand them over to the Border Security Forces (BSF) of India,” he added.
The official also said that the authorities have accepted Chetia’s petition seeking withdrawal of petition for asylum in Bangladesh.
Delhi is awaiting the return of Chetia to kick-start peace talks with top ULFA leaders.
The TSP and the MLA in criminal matter were signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi in January 2010. During her visit, the Indian Prime Minister had requested her to hand over the arrested ULFA leaders including Anup Chetia to the Indian authorities.
Chetia was first arrested in March 1991 in Assam, but was subsequently released by the then state chief minister, Hiteswar Saikia. He was arrested again in Dhaka on December 21, 1997 on charges of violating the Foreigners Act and the Passports Act of the country. Two of Chetia’s associates, identified as Babul Sharma and Laxmi Prasad, were also arrested along with him.
The ULFA general secretary had been charged with illegally entering Bangladesh and possessing two forged Bangladeshi passports, an unauthorised satellite telephone and unauthorised foreign currencies. He was sentenced to seven years in jail by a Dhaka court.
Earlier, Bangladesh had arrested ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa who was handed over to the Indian authorities.
-With The Independent input
