Dr Yunus cleared of all charges

The Labour Appellate Tribunal in Dhaka has acquitted Nobel laureate Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus and three other officials of Grameen Telecom in a labour law-violation case.

Dr Yunus, Grameen Telecom managing director Ashraful Hassan, and directors Nurjahan Begum and Md Shahjahan were sentenced to six months' jail in the case.

Md Abdul Awal, acting chairman of the tribunal, delivered the verdict on Wednesday after granting an appeal petition filed by the accused.

Earlier, the tribunal on July 04 set August 14 for further proceedings of the case.

However, it finally held a special hearing session on the merit of the case following a request of the parties.

Substitute plaintiff Md Tarikul Islam, an official of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, himself took part in the hearing as no lawyer appeared for him.

On the other hand, barristers Abdullah Al Mamun and Khaja Tanvir Ahmed appeared for Grameen Telecom officials.

Md Arifuzzaman, inspector of the inspection department, filed the case with Dhaka 3rd Labour Court on 09 September 2021 against the four on charges of violating the labour law.

On January 01 this year, the court awarded Dr Yunus and his colleagues six months' imprisonment in the case. It also fined each of the accused Tk 30,000.

Meanwhile, the accused filed an appeal petition against the verdict on January 28 and sought acquittal of all charges.

However, the tribunal acquitted all four accused, who were on bail, after hearing the plea on Wednesday.

In another development, Dr Yunus is set to become head of an interim government to be formed and sworn in today.

He was also made an accused in another criminal case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

But it would not make any legal bar for him to take oath as the chief of the transitional administration as the case is still at testimony level.

Barrister Mamun said, "The Labour Appellate Tribunal granted the appeal and acquitted the accused of all charges in the case. Rule of law has been restored through this judgement. We are happy."

According to him, there is no legal bar for Dr Yunus to take oath as the chief of the interim government.

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