The Paschimbanga government has appointed a nodal officer to collect information to help repatriate Bangladeshis, who have been convicted and are in various jails in the state, to their country to serve the remaining part of their prison term, sources said here yesterday.

India and Bangladesh had in August 2010 agreed to exchange sentenced prisoners so that they could serve the rest of their term in their respective countries.

The Indian Home Ministry had asked the Paschimbanga government to appoint a nodal officer to identify Bangladeshi nationals lodged in correctional homes in the state. They will be repatriated through a nodal point identified by the Indian and

Bangladeshi authorities.

Similarly, a list of Indian nationals undergoing prison terms in Bangladesh will also be prepared. Both sides will exchange their respective citizens later.

“An agreement between India and Bangladesh has been signed on transfer of sentenced prisoners with the objective to facilitate the social rehabilitation of persons who have been convicted and sentenced as a result of their commission of a criminal offence. This treaty provides an opportunity to such convicted prisoners to serve their sentence within their own country,” reads a letter sent to Paschimbanga Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh by Indian Home Ministry's Joint Secretary Sambhu Singh.

The letter was dispatched on February 10.