Court sentences Yunus to six months in jail for labour law violation

A labour court in Dhaka has sentenced Grameen Telecom Chairman and Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus and three others to six months of imprisonment with a fine of Tk 25,000 each in a law violation case, according to UNB.

Sheikh Merina Sultana, judge of the third labour court of Dhaka, delivered the judgement around 3:00 pm on Monday. The judge said the allegations brought against them were proven.

The Nobel laureate and three other convicted accused secured a one-month bail on condition of filing an appeal with the upper court.

The others accused in the case are- Ashraful Hasan, former managing director of Grameen Telecom Trust, and directors Nurjahan Begum and M Shahjahan.

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 June 6, 2023, Dhaka labour court-3 framed charges against the four accused.

Muhammad 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 Muhammad Yunus and four others by lower court in the case.