Staff Reporter:

The full copy of the verdict given by the High Court has been published, quashing the Labour Appellate Tribunal’s order suspending the six-month sentence of Dr. Muhammad Yunus in the case of an alleged violation of labour laws. The High Court ordered the speedy disposal of the appeal filed by Dr. Muhammad Yunus in the Labour Appeal Tribunal.

In the published 50-page verdict, the court also said that “the sentence is never suspended”.

Md Khurshid Alam Khan, the lawyer of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), told the media about the publication of the verdict on Wednesday (July 3).

However, Dr. Yunus’s lawyer Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun said he did not receive a copy of the verdict.

Earlier, the High Court ruled the Labour Appellate Tribunal’s order suspending the sentence and order of four persons, including Grameen Telecom chairman and Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who were sentenced to 6 months imprisonment in the case of violation of the labour law, was declared invalid. As a result, Dr. Yunus’s 6-month sentence continues.

On March 18, a High Court bench consisting of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadoth  Hossain passed the ruling after disposing of the hearing of the ruling issued in view of the petition filed by the DIFE on the question of the validity of the suspension of the sentence of the four persons.

Lawyer M Khurshid Alam Khan was in favor of the petition in the court that day. Lawyer Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun appeared for Dr. Yunus. Barrister Tanveer Shihab Khan accompanied him.

Earlier, the High Court issued a rule seeking to know why the order given by the Labour Appellate Tribunal on January 28 should not be canceled by suspending the proceedings of the verdict and order given by the Third Labour Court on January 1. Four people including Dr. Yunus and the defendants including the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Dhaka on behalf of the state were asked to respond to the ruling.

At the same time, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Chairman of Grameen Telecom, who was exempted from the sentence in the case of violation of the labour law, must take permission from the court to travel abroad. The remaining three accused in this case will also have to comply with the same order in case of foreign travel.

On February 5, a High Court bench of Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadoth Hossain passed the order on the revision petition made in this regard.

At the same time, the court issued a ruling seeking to know why the order given by the Labour Appellate Tribunal should not be annulled by suspending the sentence of four persons including Dr. Yunus.

On this day, the High Court gave this order after hearing the petition made by the DIFE against the order given by the Labour Appellate Tribunal suspending the proceedings of Dr. Yunus’s sentence of six months’ imprisonment.

On January 1 this year, Dhaka Labour Court-3 Judge Sheikh Marina Sultana sentenced them. Section 303 (e) of the Labour Act punishes them with imprisonment for a maximum of six months without work and a fine of Tk 5,000, in default of 10 days imprisonment. On the other hand, under section 307, the court imposed a fine of Tk 25,000 and 15 days imprisonment in default.

After that, the accused appealed for bail on the condition of appeal. The court granted their petition and granted bail for one month on a bond of Tk 5,000. The convicts appealed within that period. Apart from Dr. Yunus, the other three accused –  Grameen Telecom MD Md. Ashraful Hasan, Director Nurjahan Begum, and Md. Shah Jahan.

On January 28, the Labour Appellate Tribunal granted bail to four people including Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus till March 3 and accepted for a hearing the appeal and summoned the documents.

DIFE appealed to the High Court against this suspension. On February 5, the High Court issued a ruling in this regard. Besides, the court ordered that “if the convicts want to go abroad, they should inform the Labour Appellate Tribunal”.

On May 8 last year, the Appellate Division rejected the leave to appeal of Nobel-winning economist Dr. Muhammad Yunus against the dismissal of the petition for cancellation in the case of violation of the labour law. Then on June 6, the court ordered the trial to begin by framing charges against him.

On 9 September 2021, Labour Inspector Arifuzzaman of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), filed this case against four people including Dr. Yunus at the Third Labor Court of Dhaka.

In the case, allegations were made under 7, 8, 117 Labor Regulations Rule 107 and 234 of the Labor Act for not depositing certain dividends to the workers’ welfare foundation, not making the jobs of the workers permanent, and not monetizing public holidays.