Labour Court frames charge against Prof Yunus, 3 others

A Labour Court in Dhaka on Tuesday framed charge against Nobel laureate Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus, also chairman of Grameen Telecom, and three others in a case filed against them by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) for allegedly violating the labour law.
Judge of the Third Labour Court in Dhaka, Sheikh Merina Sultana, passed the order after hearing the parties, said Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun who appeared in the court hearing on behalf of Prof Yunus.
The other accused in the case are- Grameen Telecom Managing Director Ashraful Hassan, Directors Nurjahan Begum and Md Shahjahan.
Prof Yunus and other accused in the case appeared in the court during the charge framing hearing and pleaded them innocent and sought justice from the court.
Inspector of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, Arifuzzaman, filed the case with Dhaka 3rd Labour Court on September 9 in 2021 against four people, including Prof Yunus.
According to the case documents, a team of DIFE went on an inspection to Grameen Telecom and found the violations of labour laws like not regularising 101 staff, not establishing a welfare fund for the labourers, among others.
Besides, 5 percent of the company's dividends was supposed to be paid to the workers participation fund but it was not paid, read the case statement.
After hearing the case, the Labour Court had also summoned the four to appear before it on October 12 in 2021. Later, the Labour Court granted bail to Prof Yunus in the case on that day.
Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun said, "The employees' jobs were not regularised as they were appointed on a contractual basis. Their contract was renewed after every three years. The employees also enjoyed earned leave 20 days in a calendar year, although the case statement brought an allegation that the employees didn't get any earned leave during their job."
The lawyer also said that 5 percent dividend was not paid as the company is a non-profitable organisation.
He further said that they will file quash petition with the High Court against the charge framing order.
Inspector of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments Arifuzzaman, who is also the plaintiff of the case, appeared in the hearing representing his organisation.
Earlier, the accused filed petitions with the High Court seeking scrapping of the trial proceedings of the case. However, the High Court discharged the petitions on August 17 in 2022.
Later, Prof Yunus and other accused filed two leave to appeal petitions against the High Court order. The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on May 8, 2023 upheld the High Court order that cleared the way to continue its proceedings in the case.

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