Nobel laureate Yunus to face trial for labour law violations

A labour court opens trial proceedings against Yunus and three others after the Appellate Division rejected their plea to dismiss the case

A court has ordered the trial of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus and three others for allegedly violating labour laws.

Dhaka Labour Court's Judge Begum Sheikh Marina Sultana issued the order after framing charges in the case on Tuesday.

The others named in the case are Grameen Telecom Managing Director Ashraful Hasan and directors Nurjahan Begum and Md Shahjahan.

No decision has been made on whether an appeal would be lodged against the order, according to Yunus's lawyer Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun.

"A quashment may have to be sought against the order as the case is criminal in nature. We haven't decided what to do yet,” Yunus said.

The initiation of trial proceedings comes after the Supreme Court rejected Yunus's appeal to dismiss the case last month.

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

Later, on Jun 13, the Appellate Division put a two-month freeze on the proceedings and ordered the High Court to settle its rule.

On Aug 17, 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.