Grameen Telecom denies former employees’ claims of dues

Grameen Telecom, an organisation founded by Nobel laureate Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, has categorically denied all the claims raised by some of its former employees for getting 5 per cent of net profit of the company under Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006.

The organisation has denied the claims by submitting a written statement with the 3^rd Labour Court in Dhaka. Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun, a counsel of the organisation, has submitted the statement recently.

Earlier in November last year, a total of eight fresh cases were filed with the 3^rd Labour Court in Dhaka against Grameen Telecom over a claim of getting 5 per cent of net profit of the company under Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006.

Eight former workers of the company filed the cases on November 9 in 2022 demanding proportionate benefits from the workers’ profit participation fund (WPPF), said their lawyer HM Shanjid Siddique.

Considering the cases, the labour court issued a notice upon the authorities of Grameen Telecom to explain their position over the claims of the former employees. Complying with the court asking Grameen Telecom submitted its statement.

According to the statement, “Grameen Telecom is incorporated under Section 28 of the Companies Act as an organization not for profit.” Therefore, there is no obligation on this organisation to pay WPPF for the period of 2006 to 2012, read the statement.

Earlier in May 2022, a total of 176 other former employees of the Grameen Telecom withdrew all 110 cases filed against the organisation and its founder Professor Yunus. The cases were withdrawn after a settlement over the claim of the employees for the payment of the dividends.

Lawyer Shanjid Siddique said his clients were workers as per the definition embodied in the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, whereas Grameen Telecom is a company according to the said Act.

In spite of its legal obligations, Grameen Telecom did not establish any Participation Fund from October 2006, by complying with section 232 of the Act and contributing its net profit for the financial years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 to the Participation Fund.

As a result, the employees did not receive the proportionate benefits of the Participation Fund for the said financial years, said Shanjid Siddique.

The total amount of contribution which Grameen Telecom was mandated by law to contribute to the Participation Fund and workers’ welfare fund (WEF) for the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 is Tk. 85.73 million, according to the case documents.

The Grameen Telecom authorities have already paid benefits of the Participation Fund to the workers for the years 2010 to 2021, but they have ignored the workers who have worked for the period from 2006 to 2010.

[email protected]