Yunus files fresh petition after SC rejects his plea

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Muhammad Yunus has filed a petition with the Supreme Court (SC) urging withdrawal of its order that confirmed the High Court (HC) ruling backing his sacking from Grameen Bank, report bdnews24.com. One of his counsels, Mustafizur Rahman Khan, confirmed the news agency about Yunus filing fresh petition on Tuesday - the day full bench of the Appellate Division dismissed the Nobel Peace laureate's appeal. Khan said, "Hearing on the petition will be held on Wednesday, along with the appeal by the nine directors of Grameen Bank." News agencies adds: Earlier, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court dismissed Prof Muhammad Yunus' plea for leave to appeal against the High Court judgment that had affirmed his removal as managing director of Grameen Bank. Hearing both sides, a seven-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque, passed the order. Emerging from the court, Dr Kamal Hossain, the principal counsel for Nobel Laureate Yunus, declined to make any comment on whether his client would continue attending his office following the day's apex court order or not. He, however, said it would not be wise to say anything about Yunus' fate until the results of another similar petition, which comes up for hearing tomorrow (Wednesday). Meanwhile, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told reporters that Prof Yunus should not continue in office following Tuesday's court order. "It will be illegal if Prof Yunus continues to hold office." On March 2, Bangladesh Bank removed Dr. Yunus on charges of violating a special ordinance governing the Grameen Bank (GB) that set 60 as the retirement age for the managing director. A day after getting the removal order, Prof Yunus filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the validity of the impugned action of the Bangladesh Bank. On Mar 8, after a three-day admissibility hearing, an HC division bench comprising Justice M Momtazuddin Ahmed and Justice Gobinda Chandra Thakur summarily dismissed the writ petition, upholding the Bangladesh Bank order that had removed Prof Yunus as GB managing director. The HC bench had also dismissed another similar writ petition jointly filed by nine directors of the GB. Prof Yunus founded the GB, a specialised microfinance institution, in 1983 to provide loans without collateral to the poor who had so long been neglected by the traditional banking system. Yunus' press briefing postponed The news conference of Muhammad Yunus due on Tuesday afternoon was postponed, the Grameen Bank said. The Noble Laureate was scheduled to brief journalists following the Supreme Court's confirmation of the Bangladesh Bank's order sacking him as GB managing director. The bank's information and media co-ordinator Rafiqul Islam in a written message apologised to journalists for the suspension which was forced by 'unavoidable' reasons. "We are sorry to inform you that the press conference at Grameen Bank is postponed today for unavoidable circumstances. We will confirm you the new time shortly."