Violation of labour law: SC changes HC bench to hear a rule over charge framing against Prof Yunus
The new bench asked to dispose of the rule in 2 weeks
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The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has changed a High Court bench for hearing a rule that questioned the legality of charge framing against nobel laureate Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus, also chairman of Grameen Telecom, and three others in a case filed on charge of violating the labour law.
The apex court has sent the matter to the High Court bench headed by Justice S M Kuddus Zaman for disposing of the rule within two weeks.
A six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order on Thursday after hearing a petition filed by the state seeking a stay on the High Court order that issued the rule.
On June 6, Judge of the Third Labour Court in Dhaka, Sheikh Merina Sultana, framed charge against Prof Yunus and three others in the case filed by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE).
The other accused in the case are- Grameen Telecom Managing Director Ashraful Hassan, Directors Nurjahan Begum, and Md Shahjahan.
Following a petition, the High Court bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Ashish Ranjan Das on July 23 issued a rule upon the concerned bodies of the government to explain in two weeks as to why charge framing order against Prof Yunus and three others in the case should not be scrapped.
Later, the state filed a petition with the Appellate Division seeking a stay on the High Court order.
Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun took part in the hearing on behalf of Prof Yunus and three others, while Attorney General AM Amin Uddin represented the state.
Inspector of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, Arifuzzaman, filed the case with Dhaka 3rd Labour Court on 9 September in 2021 against four people including Prof Yunus.
According to the case documents, a team of DIFE went on an inspection to Grameen Telecom and found the violations of labour laws like not regularising 101 staff, not establishing a welfare fund for the labourers, among others.
Besides, five per cent of the company's dividends was supposed to be paid to the workers participation fund but it was not paid, also read the case statement.
After hearing the case, the Labour Court had also summoned the four to appear before it on October 12 in 2021. Later the Labour Court granted bail to Prof Yunus in the case on that day.