Staff Correspondent:

The indictment hearing against 14 people including Nobel Laureate economist Dr Muhammad Yunus in a case filed under the money laundering prevention act was held Sunday.

For this, the Nobel laureate had to stand in the iron cage made for the defendants in the courtroom of Dhaka. He described the experience as “part of a cursed life”.

The case was heard at Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-4. Judge Syed Arafat Hossain set June 12 as the date for the order regarding the framing of charges.

Dr Yunus’ lawyer Abdullah Al Mamun said that at the beginning of the hearing, the court asked all the accused except Dr Muhammad Yunus to stand in the dock. Then Dr Yunus said that others had to face this situation because of him. So he himself went and stood in the iron cage made for the accused. After around a couple of minutes, everyone went to the courtroom bench with the permission of the judge.

Dr Yunus talked to the media at the end of the hearing on the court premises. He said, “The iron cage for the accused is surely humiliating. This has been done to insult people. It was not made to show respect. This has been designed to take a person to the climax of insult. Today I have reached the pinnacle of this cursed life. This is the first time I had to stand in an iron cage.”

“I was thinking that in the epic there are some gods and goddesses who curse. Those who are cursed, live a cursed life. I also feel that I have become a part of an epic. Some gods and goddesses are displeased with me. I am here today because of their curse

Grameen Bank founder Dr Muhammad Yunus was praised internationally for playing a role in alleviating poverty in Bangladesh. Several former and incumbent heads of state, including hundreds of Nobel laureates, have called on the Bangladesh government to not harass him.

Dr Muhammad Yunus claimed that the charges brought against him have no basis.

He said, “There is no truth in this incident. I am being accused of what I have given away. My companions are cursed today. This has deeply scarred my mind. My family was attacked, my father was attacked. This is totally unacceptable to me. This is part of my cursed life.”

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on February 1 this year submitted a charge sheet against 14 people including Dr Muhammad Yunus in a case filed on charges of the embezzlement of Tk 252.2 million from the profits of Grameen Telecom employees.