Bangladesh court sentences Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to 6 months in jail for violating labor laws

A labor courtroom in Bangladesh’s capital Monday sentenced Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus to 6 months in jail for violating the nation’s labor legal guidelines.

Yunus, who pioneered the usage of microcredit to assist impoverished individuals, was current in courtroom and was granted bail. The courtroom gave Yunus 30 days to attraction the decision and sentence.

Grameen Telecom, which Yunus based as a non-profit group, is on the heart of the case.

Sheikh Merina Sultana, head of the Third Labor Court docket of Dhaka, mentioned in her verdict that Yunus’ firm violated Bangladeshi labor legal guidelines. She mentioned not less than 67 Grameen Telecom employees have been purported to be made everlasting workers however weren’t, and a “welfare fund” to assist the workers in instances of emergency or particular wants was by no means fashioned. She additionally mentioned that, following firm coverage, 5% of Grameen’s dividends have been purported to be distributed to workers however was not.

Sultana discovered Yunus, as chairman of the corporate, and three different firm administrators responsible, sentencing every to 6 months in jail. Yunus was additionally fined 30,000 takas, or $260.

Yunus mentioned he would attraction.

“We’re being punished for against the law we didn’t commit. It was my destiny, the nation’s destiny. We’ve accepted this verdict, however will attraction this verdict and proceed preventing in opposition to this sentence,” the 83-year-old economist informed reporters after the decision was introduced.

A protection lawyer criticized the ruling, saying it was unfair and in opposition to the regulation. “We’ve been disadvantaged of justice,” mentioned lawyer Abdullah Al Mamun.

However the prosecution was proud of what they mentioned was an anticipated verdict.

“We expect enterprise homeowners will now be extra cautious about violating labor legal guidelines. Nobody is above the regulation,” prosecutor Khurshid Alam Khan informed The Related Press.

Grameen Telecom owns 34.2% of the nation’s largest cell phone firm, Grameenphone, a subsidiary of Norway’s telecom big Telenor.

As Yunus is thought to have shut connections with political elites within the West, particularly in the USA, many suppose the decision might negatively impression Bangladesh’s relationship with the U.S.

However International Secretary Masud Bin Momen on Monday mentioned relations between Bangladesh and the U.S. would doubtless not be affected by a problem involving a single particular person.

“It’s regular to not have an effect on the state-to-state relations for a person,” the United Information of Bangladesh company quoted Momen as saying.

The Nobel laureate faces an array of different fees involving alleged corruption and embezzlement.

Yunus’ supporters consider he is being harassed due to frosty relations with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh’s authorities has denied the allegation.

Monday’s verdict got here as Bangladesh prepares for its normal election on Jan. 7, amid a boycott by the nation’s fundamental opposition get together, the Bangladesh Nationalist Social gathering, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Hasina’s arch-enemy. The get together mentioned it did not have any confidence the premier’s administration would maintain a free and honest election.

In August, greater than 170 international leaders and Nobel laureates in an open letter urged Hasina to droop all authorized proceedings in opposition to Yunus.

The leaders, together with former U.S. President Barack Obama, former U.N. Secretary-Basic Ban Ki-moon and greater than 100 Nobel laureates, mentioned within the letter that they have been deeply involved by latest threats to democracy and human rights in Bangladesh.

Hasina responded sharply and mentioned she would welcome worldwide specialists and attorneys to come back to Bangladesh to evaluate the authorized proceedings and look at paperwork involving the costs in opposition to Yunus.

In 1983, Yunus based Grameen Financial institution, which provides small loans to entrepreneurs who wouldn’t usually qualify for financial institution loans. The financial institution’s success in lifting individuals out of poverty led to comparable microfinancing efforts in different international locations.

Hasina’s administration started a sequence of investigations of Yunus after coming to energy in 2008. She grew to become enraged when Yunus introduced he would kind a political get together in 2007 when a military-backed authorities ran the nation and he or she was in jail, though he didn’t observe by means of on the plan.

Yunus had earlier criticized politicians within the nation, saying they’re solely fascinated with cash. Hasina referred to as him a “bloodsucker” and accused him of utilizing pressure and different means to get better loans from poor rural girls as head of Grameen Financial institution.

In 2011, Hasina’s administration started a overview of the financial institution’s actions. Yunus was fired as managing director for allegedly violating authorities retirement laws. He was placed on trial in 2013 on fees of receiving cash with out authorities permission, together with his Nobel Prize award and royalties from a e book.