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Chetia denied political asylum in Bangladesh

A Bangladesh court has rejected the request of United Liberation Front of Asom leader Anup Chetia for political asylum and ordered him to stand trial on immigration charges next month.

Chetia, made his asylum request yesterday in Dhaka's chief metropolitan magistrate court, according to attorney Abdul Hasib.

ULFA's secretary-general told the magistrate he fled to Bangladesh to escape arrest by Indian authorities.

Magistrate Shamsul Huq said he had no power to grant political asylum and set the trial for July 9.

The police have charged Chetia with illegal entry and unlawful holding of Bangladeshi passports and foreign currencies. He was arrested at a rented house in Dhaka on December 21.

The trial puts on hold India's request that Chetia be extradited to face murder and kidnapping charges in India.

Human rights groups in Bangladesh oppose Chetia's extradition, comparing his cause with Bangladesh's own independence war against Pakistan in 1971.

UNI

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