A deputy attorney-general (DAG) on Monday said Nobel laureate Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus was being "subjected to judicial harassment".
Imran Ahmed Bhuiyan, the state lawyer, also refused to sign a statement being prepared by the Attorney-General's office, countering a joint statement issued by global big shots.
A notification has been issued asking the attorney general, additional attorney generals, deputy attorney generals and assistant attorney generals to sign a statement to this end, Mr Bhuiyan said.
The statement in question has sought to protest a recent open letter from global big shots to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over ongoing trial proceedings against Dr Yunus.
"I agree with the statement issued by Nobel laureates and world leaders about the trial proceedings against Prof Yunus," Mr Bhuiyan told a briefing following his non-compliance with the notice.
"I think he (Dr Yunus) is an honourable person. He is being defamed and that this is judicial harassment. So, I decided not to sign the statement to be prepared by the Attorney General's office."
A total of 104 Nobel laureates and 79 other global figures in an open letter to the premier on August 28 expressed concern over the safety and freedom of Dr Yunus.
In the letter, they "respectfully asked" Sheikh Hasina to "immediately suspend the current judicial proceedings against Prof Yunus".
AKM Amin Uddin Manik, another DAG, said a protest statement was being prepared by general lawyers against the one recently made by the global leaders.
"Many lawyers, including the law officers under the Attorney General's office, have signed it. Nobody is being compelled to do so. I've signed it," he added.
Meanwhile, lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan on Monday said he will not appear on behalf of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), in the proceedings of the case running in the Third Labour Court in Dhaka against Nobel laureate Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus.
Mr Khan, also a panel lawyer of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), informed the media that he had taken the stance as the government appointed a new counsel to run the case in the tribunal.
International Crimes Tribunal Prosecutor Syed Haider Ali has recently been appointed along with lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan to represent the government body in trial proceedings of the case filed against Prof Yunus and three others on charge of violating the labour law.
Khurshid Alam Khan said, "I have been informed about the appointment of Syed Haider Ali last night (Sunday night). I told the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments that you have appointed me and I am running to High Court, Appellate Division and Labor Court with your case. Now I see a new lawyer has been appointed."
"I asked them (DIFE) to choose any one of the lawyers. It does not seem appropriate to appoint two lawyers in the same case," said Khurshid Alam.
He said, "I have told them, it is not possible for me to handle the case if they don't keep only one lawyer."
He also said that there is no pressure from the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments and the government.
Syed Haider Ali said, "Khurshid Alam Khan is also a lawyer in this case, I have also been appointed. The appointment of two increases the strength. I believe in that."
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.
Judge of the Third Labour Court in Dhaka, Sheikh Merina Sultana, is holding trial of the case. September 5, Tuesday, is scheduled for recording statements of the prosecution witness in the case.
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