Dr Yunus gets bail in case filed over violation of labour law

The court has granted bail to four people including Grameen Telecom chairman and Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus in the case filed on charges of violation of labour law by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.

Dhaka's Labour Appellate Tribunal chairman (acting) MA Awal (senior district and sessions judge) on Sunday passed the order.

While speaking to Prothom Alo, Abdullah Al Mamun, lawyer of Dr. Yunus, said the tribunal granted bail to four including Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus.

The court set 16 April for the next hearing in the case.

Earlier, Dr Muhmmad Yunus appeared at the Labour Appellate Tribunal and sought bail. The court granted bail after hearing.

On 28 January, the Labour Appellate Tribunal accepted the appeal of four including Dr Yunus for hearing.

The 3rd labour court of Dhaka sentenced four people, including Grameen Telecom chairman Dr Yunus, to six months in jail and fined Tk 30,000 in the case on 1 January.

Three others are Grameen Telecom former managing director (MD) Ashraful Hasan, director Noor Jahan Begum and Md Shahjahan.

After delivery of the verdict, the same court granted bail for one month on condition of filing appeal.

The case was lodged in the Labour Tribunal against four including Dr Yunus on 1 September in 2021. The charge was framed in the case on 6 June last year while recording of testimonies began on 22 August and ended on 9 November. Placing arguments in the case ended on 24 December.

It was alleged in the case that according to the Labour Act, 2006 and Labour Rules, 2015, the recruitment of the workers or employees of Grameen Telecom was not made permanent even after completion of their apprenticeship period.

It was also said that annual leave, encashment of leave and cash against leave was not granted to workers or employees working in the organisation. Worker Participation Fund and Welfare Fund have not been established in Grameen Telecom. Besides, an amount equivalent to 5 per cent of the profit has not been deposited in the fund constituted under the Labour Welfare Foundation Act.