Dr Yunus to appear in 2 courts on Mar 3

Nobel laureate Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus is due to appear before two courts on the same day, March 3, 2024.
He is scheduled to appear at the Labour Appellate Tribunal at 10:00 AM and the Metropolitan Session Judge's Court at 12:00 PM in two separate cases, according to his lawyer Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun.
The lawyer on Thursday said his client will seek bail in both courts after surrendering in the cases filed by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
In a separate development on Thursday, the High Court (HC) asked Grameen Telecom Trust Chairman Dr Yunus to deposit Tk 0.5 billion to file an appeal against the income tax claim by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) for the tax years 2011 to 2013.
According to state-owned news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), an HC division bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar and Justice Sardar Md Rashed Jahangir came up with the judgment on February 12, while the 24-page full text was published on Thursday.
In November 2020, the NBR issued a notice to Grameen Telecom Trust, claiming around Tk 2.5 billion in income tax for the 2011-2013 tax years. The Trust challenged the notice in the HC, filing a writ petition. Following a hearing, the Court issued a rule questioning the legality of the notice.
Prosecutors allege that the Trust, after receiving the notice, claimed financial hardship and requested a tax waiver. However, according to the prosecution, the Trust had Tk 3.5-4 billion in its account at the time.
The HC recently dismissed the Trust's writ petition but allowed them to appeal against the NBR notice, on condition of first depositing Tk 0.5 billion.
DIFE case
Professor Yunus and three others were convicted and sentenced to six months' imprisonment by a Dhaka Labour Court in the case filed by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE).
However, their bail was extended for one month by the Acting Chairman of the Dhaka Labour Appellate Tribunal upon hearing their bail petition. This necessitates Professor Yunus and the other accused to seek bail again from the Appellate Tribunal.
The case against Professor Yunus and three others was filed on September 9, 2021, by DIFE Inspector Arifuzzaman, accusing them of violating labour laws.
ACC case
On February 1, 2024, the Anti-Corruption Commission submitted a charge sheet against Professor Yunus and 13 others in a case accusing them of embezzling and laundering Tk 252.2 million from the Grameen Telecom Workers' Profit Participation Fund.
The charge sheet was submitted to the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court in Dhaka by ACC Deputy Director Gulshan Anwar Prodhan.
The 13 other accused are 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, lawyers Md Yousuf Ali and Jafrul Hasan Sharif, 'Grameen Telecom Sramik-Karmachari Union' President Md Kamruzzaman, Union's Secretary Firoz Mahmud Hassan and Union's representative Mainul Islam, and Jatiya Workers Federation's Office Secretary Kamrul Hasan.
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