Trial begins against 4 people including Dr Yunus for labour law violation

Trial has begun against four people, including Nobel Laureate and Grameen Telecom Chairman Dr Muhammad Yunus, in a labour law violation case.

After appeals were rejected in the High Court and the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, the trial finally began on Tuesday (22 August) at Labour Court-3 of Judge Begum Sheikh with recording of testimony of Labour Inspector Tariqul Islam.

Later he was cross examined by Dr Yunus' lawyer Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun.

On 6 June, the labour court ordered to start the trial by indicting four people including Dr Yunus. When the order was challenged in the High Court, the High Court quashed it.

Dr Yunus appealed to the Appellate Division against the HC order, which was also rejected on 20 August. As a result, the Labor Court started taking testimony in this case on Tuesday as per the previous schedule.

Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the Directorate of Inspection of Factories and Establishments.

SC clears way for continuation of trial against Dr Yunus

On 9 September 2021, Labour Inspector Arifuzzaman of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments filed the case with Dhaka's 3rd Labour Court.

The other accused in the case are Grameen Telecom Managing Director Ashraful Hasan and Directors Noor Jahan Begum and Shahjahan. The three defendants also pleaded the case separately.

According to the case documents, the officials of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments visited Grameen Telecom and found some violations of labour laws.

101 workers were supposed to be made permanent, but they were not made permanent. Workers' fund and welfare fund have not been constituted.

Moreover, 5% of the company's dividend was supposed to be given to the workers, but it was not given to them. Based on these allegations, a case was filed against the concerned under criminal law.