Yunus to stand trial for labour law violations after SC rejects appeal

The trial of four officials of Grameen Telecom, including the Nobel laureate, will continue after his unsuccessful plea against the validity of the charges

The Supreme Court has turned down an appeal by former Grameen Bank boss Muhammad Yunus challenging his indictment for alleged violations of labour law.

Consequently, the trial of four Grameen Telecom officials, including Nobel laureate Yunus, will continue in the labour court.

Yunus had filed a writ petition over the validity of the charges with the High Court. He later moved the apex court to review the matter after the petition was dismissed.

A seven-member panel of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, turned down the appeal on Sunday.

Lawyer Abdullah Al Mamun represented Yunus in court, while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments. Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Morsed stood for the state.

Afterwards, Yunus's lawyer Mamun told reporters that they will review the matter and decide on the next course of action.

"The Appellate Division's ruling does not prevent the case from proceeding in the labour court. The court will continue to take testimonies,” Khurshid said.

On Sept 9, 2021, Yunus and three others were named in a case filed against Grameen Communications with a labour court by Labour Inspector Arifuzzaman of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.

The charges against them include failure to provide employees with appointment letters, to get work schedules approved by the authorities, and to submit annual and half-yearly returns.

Following a petition by Yunus, the honorary chairman of Grameen Telecom, the High Court on Dec 12, 2021, suspended the proceedings against him for six months. It also issued a rule asking why the case would not be dismissed.

Later, in June 2022, the Appellate Division put a two-month freeze on the proceedings and ordered the High Court to settle its rule.

Two months later, Justice SM Kuddus Zaman and Justice Fahmida Quader quashed a High Court rule asking why the case against Yunus would not be dismissed, paving the way for trial proceedings.

Yunus then unsuccessfully challenged that decision with the Supreme Court.