Time magazine yesterday quoted President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan as having said he plans to release unconditionally “in a couple of days” Sheik Mujibur Rahman, the Bengali leader jailed on treason charges by former President Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan.

“I plan to release him unconditionally in a couple of days, with hope and faith that the fire of Pakistan still burns in his heart,” the weekly news magazine quoted Mr. Bhutto as having said.

Sheik Mujib, the Bengali leader who is regarded as the president of Bangladesh, as the secessionists have named East Pakistan, was jailed in March. He was placed under house arrest near Islamabad when President Yahya surrendered his leadership of Pakistan following the country's defeat by India.

“He will he free to go. am not extracting any promise from him,” Mr. Bhutto said. “I'm not talking to him under duress, but between elected leaders of the two parts of Pakistan. From one spectrum to the other, an extremely loose arrangement could be worked out, but at least the name Pakistan will remain.”