Photo : Collected
A court in Dhaka has sentenced Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and three top officials of Grameen Telecom to six months imprisonment with fine of Tk 25000 each in a case over violation of labour law.
Dhaka 3rd labour court judge Sheikh Merina Sultana pronounced the judgement. Dr. Yunus reached the third labour court in Dhaka around 2:45 pm.
The court set January 1 to pronounce the verdict in the case after hearing the arguments of both the prosecution and the defence on December 24.
On June 6, 2023, Dhaka labour court-3 framed charges against the four accused.
The others accused in the case are- Ashraful Hasan, CEO of Grameen Telecom Trust, trustee Nurjahan Begum and managing director M Shahjahan.
Dr Yunus and three others filed a petition challenging the legality of the charge framing and seeking a stay order on trial proceedings in the case.
The High Court on July 23 issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the indictment order against the four people should not be scrapped.
On August 3, the Appellate Division directed the High Court to dispose of the rule questioning the charge framing against Dr Muhammad Yunus and four others by lower court in the case.
Earlier, On September 9, 2021, Labour Inspector Arifuzzaman of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, filed the case with Dhaka 3rd Labour Court.
According to the case, in an inspection visit to Grameen Telecom inspectors of the department found that 101 workers and staff who were supposed to be permanent were not made so.
No participation fund and welfare fund was formed for them and five per cent of the company's profit was not provided to the workers following the law.
Upon a complaint, a criminal case was filed under sections 4, 7, 8, 117, 234 of the Labour Act. On October 12, the labour court granted bail to all four accused.
Later on December 7, Prof Yunus filed a petition with the High Court seeking scrapping of the case. On December 12, HC stayed the procedure of a case for six months.
On August 17, 2021, the High Court (HC) rejected a petition to scrap the case. Later Prof Yunus filed a leave to appeal against the High Court verdict.
Messenger/Sajib
