‘Misuse’ of law against Yunus could deter foreign investment: US

The United States has warned that international concerns over the perceived ‘judicial harassment’ of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus could negatively impact Bangladesh's prospects for foreign investment.

Last month, Yunus was handed a six-month jail sentence for violations of labour laws and is now facing fresh graft charges from the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US Department of State, addressed Yunus's mounting legal woes during a press briefing in Washington on Tuesday, reports bdnews24.com.

"We worry the perceived misuse of labour and anti-corruption laws could raise questions about the rule of law and dissuade future foreign direct investment, and we encourage the Bangladeshi government to ensure a fair and transparent legal process for Dr Yunus as the appeals process continues," he said.

Despite being convicted on Jan 1, Yunus, the head of Grameen Telecom, was not immediately jailed as he was granted a one-month bail to appeal the decision.

As criminal charges against Yunus pile up, Miller pointed to the "unusual speed" of the trial in the labour case, fuelling concerns about the potential weaponisation of the judicial process by the government.

"The Anti-Corruption Commission has approved a chargesheet for additional cases. Those have drawn widespread condemnation from around the world," he said.

"We share the concerns voiced by other international observers that these cases may represent a misuse of Bangladesh’s labour laws to harass and intimidate Dr Yunus."

He called on the government to ensure a "fair and transparent" legal process for Yunus as he appeals against his conviction.