Guwahati, Dec 2 (IANS) Arabinda Rajkhowa, founder and chairman of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), has been arrested in Bangladesh, dealing a crippling a blow to the outfit, informed sources said Wednesday.

Apurba Baruah, the outfit's publicity secretary, has also been arrested. Both are expected to be handed over to India soon, the sources told IANS.

The two leaders are believed to have been arrested by the Special Branch of the Bangladesh Police from downtown Dhaka.

The arrests come ahead of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India from Dec 19.

Rajkhowa, 56, was in Bangladesh for close to two decades, operating out of bases in that country and ordering hit-and-run strikes in Assam.

He founded the ULFA in 1979 along with five other leaders, including the outfit's commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, who is believed to have escaped Bangladesh and is reportedly hiding in China.

Last month, Bangladesh reportedly handed over two ULFA leaders, self-styled foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury and finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika, to Indian authorities.

Indian officials say they were arrested on the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura while trying to sneak into India.