Nur Hossain, Anup Chetia swap soon

Bangladesh and India have decided to swap Nur Hossain with Anup Chetia, top sources say.

The decision has been taken at the home-secretary level talks on Sep 4 in Dhaka, they said.

Narayanganj's multiple murder accused Nur Hossain, a ruling Awami League councillor, has been arrested in Kolkata and is currently housed in Dum Dum Central Jail.

ULFA leader Chetia was arrested on Dec 21, 1997 from Dhaka's Mohammadpur.

He was sentenced to three, four and seven years in jail for trespassing into Bangladesh, possession of forged Bangladeshi passports and foreign currency, and possession of a satellite phone, respectively.

His prison term ended on Feb 25, 2007 and he has been kept at the Kashimpur prison since 2012.

New Delhi wants Chetia back so that he could join other ULFA leaders in the peace process with the government.

This would be the first extradition, as and when it happens, after the signing of an extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh in Jan last year.

The timing of Nur Hossain extradition depends on court orders as the Kolkata police has filed a charge sheet against him and two others arrested along with him on charges of entering India without valid documents.

Jail officials said since Hossain and the two others, Suman Khan and Obaidur Rahman, had already spent 80 days in prison, they could be released soon.

People entering India illegally are generally sentenced to two months in jail under the Indian Foreigners Act.