Nobel Laureate Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus on Sunday said that standing in the iron cage in the courtroom is a memorable event of his life and it's a part of a cursed life.
He said this while talking to the reporters after the charge framing hearing on a case filed against him under the Money Laundering Prevention Act by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Prof Yunus said, "This is the first time I had to stand in an iron cage. It is a sight to behold. It is a memorable event of my life that I am standing inside the iron cage in the courtroom. This is a part of the cursed life."
He further said, "All of us know about the noble peace prize. A noble prize was awarded, divided into two, for me and Grameen Bank. Both have equal status. Those were not given jointly, rather both were given independently. There is no precedent in the history of the world that one Nobel laureate has filed a case against another Nobel laureate. It has happened in our destiny; it's part of the curse. We are carrying this curse."
The noble laureate said, "I want to say as a citizen of the country, why shall there be a false case against someone? My colleagues have sacrificed a part of their lives for the benefit of the people of the country, why should they be harassed. Why should they enter the iron cage?"
A Dhaka court on Sunday set June 12 for passing an order on framing charges against Prof Yunus and 13 others in the case filed over misappropriation of about Tk252.2 million from Grameen Telecom Workers' profit participation fund.
Judge of the Special Judge's Court no 4 in Dhaka, Syed Arafat Hossain, passed the order after hearing the case, said Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun who appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the accused.
Earlier on the day, the 14 accused including Prof Yunus sought acquittal from the case involving misappropriation of around Tk252.2 million from the Grameen Telecom Workers' profit participation fund.
During the hearing, Anti-Corruption Commission's Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kazal placed his arguments in favour of framing charges against the accused.
At the same time, defence lawyers including Abdullah-Al-Mamun and Mohammad Shaheenoor Islam submitted their arguments before the court in favour of acquitting the 14 accused, including Yunus.
Upon hearing the parties, the court set the date. Earlier on May 2, the court granted bail to them.
On April 2, the Judge of the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court in Dhaka took into cognizance the charges pressed against the 14 accused including Prof Yunus.
The court also transferred the case to the Special Court no 4 in Dhaka for its trial.
Grameen Telecom Managing Director Nazmul Islam, former Managing Director Ashraful Hassan, directors Nazneen Sultana, Parveen Mahmud, M Shahjahan, Nurjahan Begum, and Professor S M Huzzatul Islam Latifee were also included as accused in the case.
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