Bangladesh minister accuses Nobel laureate Yunus of peddling lies about cour

Anisul Huq says any citizen breaking the law in the country faces similar legal proceedings

Law Minister Anisul Huq has accused Nobel Prize-winning Grameen Telecom Chairman Muhammad Yunus of spreading lies, saying any citizen who breaks the law is subject to similar legal proceedings.

He made the remarks while addressing reporters after a meeting with the European Union delegation at his office in the Secretariat on Wednesday.

During the meeting, the minister told the EU delegation that the Anti-Corruption Commission or ACC has an ongoing case against Yunus in court. He did not disclose any further details about the case.

Yunus also faced some tax evasion cases, the minister noted. "In one of these cases, he (Yunus) went to the Appellate Division and paid taxes after losing."

However, according to the Yunus Centre's "protest note," the Supreme Court had not made a ruling on Yunus' tax evasion. Instead, he had approached the apex court seeking a "legal interpretation" on tax matters.

The ACC prosecuted Yunus along with 13 others for allegedly embezzling Tk 252.20 million from dividends intended for the company's employees on the same day. The other defendants are also Grameen Telecom officials and employees.

According to the ACC lawyer, if convicted, the Nobel laureate could face up to life in prison.

Yunus maintains this trial is a tactic to harass him.

Speaking after his indictment by a Dhaka court on Wednesday, Yunus said: "I don't know; since when have I been associated with money embezzlement, money laundering, and fraud. I have never learnt how to do it, nor have I done it. This accusation was suddenly thrust on me."

Earlier, Dhaka's Third Labour Court sentenced four people, including Yunus, to six months of imprisonment in a case filed by the Directorate of Inspection of Factories and Institutions for violating labour laws on Jan 1.

The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner later appealed against that judgment to the Labour Appeal Court.

Yunus has always denied all allegations made against him while stating that he is being 'harassed' by the government.

Reacting to Yunus' remarks, the law minister said, "Yunus' statements are false and insulting to the people of Bangladesh."

Regarding the case filed against the Grameen Telecom chairman under the Labour Act, the minister explained, "He violated the rights of the workers, which led to the case being filed under the Labour Act, and he was sentenced by the court."