He wouldn't have begged for statement, if he had confidence of innocence: PM Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has come down on Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus over the joint statement of 160 world leaders for a halt to his trial, saying, “He would not have begged statements on the global stage, if he had confident of innocence.”

She came up with the statement at a press briefing at her official residence Ganabhaban in Dhaka on Tuesday. The briefing was called to disclose outcomes of the prime minister’s recent trip to South Africa.

There was a question and answer session, following the formal statement of the prime minister.

ATN News reporter Arafat Siddiqui raised the issue of the world leaders’ statement and sought to know if the prime minister was taking the letter to her cognisance, or if she has the jurisdiction to halt the trial.

In response, Sheikh Hasina said, “If the gentleman were confident of his innocence, he would not have begged statements on the international level. The judiciary in our country is completely independent. Everything here operates as per the law. If someone does not pay tax, embezzles the money of the workers, and in that circumstance if a case is filed in the labour court on behalf of the workers, then do we have any ability to interfere and withdraw the case? Who am I to withdraw a sub judice case? I don’t have the right.”

“Our message is clear, the country has law, court, and labour court. The law will take its own course,” Sheikh Hasina insisted.

Addressing the world leaders who issued statements in favour of Dr Muhammad Yunus, she urged them to send experts here to look into the allegations. She said, “Rather than a barrage of statements, they should send legal experts, lawyers, and specialists to assess the case documents thoroughly. They should see it themselves if anything unjust, or anomalies are there.”

She mentioned that Bangladesh has to listen a lot at the international level regarding the labour law, especially in the ILO. But the country has a company law, which states that five per cent of the dividend must be spent on the welfare of the workers.

"If anyone doesn't pay this dividend to the labourers and they file cases in the court, and as the outcome of the case if they (labourers) are fired and then if they file a case again; is it the responsibility of ours?" she posed the question.

Saying that Dr Yunus will have to pay the tax money, prime minister Sheikh Hasina added, “Anyone caught on tax evasion will have to return the tax money. He is even returning some. Since there is global inflation and economic pressure, the government must collect its dues wherever it has. Will the governments in the US and Europe spare anyone evading taxes? A Nobel laureate face a tax dodging tax in the Philippines. Many Nobel laureates are also behind bars.”

About the sources of Dr Yunus’ investment abroad, Sheikh Hasina said, “The Grameen Bank managing director withdrew the government salary. A government-salaried managing director invests billions of dollars and runs business abroad. Did the people who issue the statement raise question about it? How a bank MD invested such a huge amount of money abroad? How did he earn that? Had a politician done so, ink of pen would have been finished by writing on it. You ask us to raid against corruption, but there is no fault if someone of your liking is caught in corruption.”

Journalist Farzana Rupa of Ekattor TV asked workers are worried over the statement issued by 160 eminent citizens and whether judiciary will be influenced by it; the US imposes sanctions, can stop giving visa; workers have started receiving compensation, so there is a concern on whether judiciary would function independently.

In reply, the prime minister said the judiciary will function independently. Why would the court look at who issued a statement or not? Why would the court be influenced? The court will do the justice. If the court gets frightened, it cannot not work.

Saying that Awami League has always been looking after workers’ interests, Sheikh Hasina said, “They would give big talks and, in the meantime, they would embezzle workers’ money. He is a very nice guy of Bangladesh, and the international community also fell for him. We face questions one after another on labour issues. What workers own that must be paid. Is it justice to pay a little amount of bribe to stop paying the rest of the amount? Is this a honest work?"

Regarding a free and fair election, the prime minster took a dig at the intellectuals of Bangladesh. She said, “Where were these voices when military dictator would hold election? Where were they, who now give statement? Ziaur Rahman started stealing votes, HM Earshd and Khaleda Zia followed suit. At that time, where were their ethical speeches. We introduced transparent ballot boxes, national identity card with photograph and made election commission entirely independent; leaders and activists of Awami League waged movement and shed blood to make election transparent.”

“Now we have been hearing the demand of electoral transparency from those who rose through vote rigging. There was a saying during their rule that ’10 motorcycles, 20 goons and election is under your control.’ No matter how better we perform, you want better and better; that‘s it. When fate will burn because of asking for more, only then you will realise.”