US worried over perceived misuse of laws against Dr Yunus
The United States has expressed concern over the handling of legal cases against Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus and feared that the perceived misuse of labour and anti-corruption laws may raise questions about the rule of law in Bangladesh and dissuade foreign direct investment in future.
Mathew Miller, spokesperson for the US Department of State, made the disclosure while responding to a query at a regular press briefing in Washington on Tuesday. He also highlighted the speedy processing of criminal cases against Dr Yunus.
We encourage the Bangladeshi Government to ensure a fair and transparent legal process for Dr. Yunus as the appeals process continuesMathew Miller
Citing media reports, a journalist informed him that some 20 unidentified individuals seized Dr Muhammad Yunus’ offices on Monday. Besides, the current government here “has taken control over one-sided parliament, judiciary, media, and anti-corruption, now the entity like Grameen.” He sought to know about the US perspectives against the situation.
In response, the spokesperson shared apprehensions of international observers regarding the potential misuse of labour and anti-corruption laws to harass and intimidate Dr Yunus.
“I would say regarding the multiple criminal cases filed against Dr Muhammad Yunus, we note that the labor case was tried with unusual speed. The Anti-Corruption Commission has approved a charge sheet for additional cases. Those have drawn widespread condemnation from around the world. We share the concerns voiced by other international observers that these cases may represent a misuse of Bangladesh’s labor laws to harass and intimidate Dr Yunus,” he said.
Expressing concerns over the future of foreign investments in the backdrop of misuse of laws, Mathew Miller encouraged the government here to ensure a fair and transparent legal process for Dr Yunus.
He said, “We worry the perceived misuse of labor and anti-corruption laws could raise questions about the rule of law and dissuade future foreign direct investment, and we encourage the Bangladeshi Government to ensure a fair and transparent legal process for Dr. Yunus as the appeals process continues."