Application for permanent bail to Dr Yunus dismissed

A tribunal in Dhaka dismissed an application for permanent bail to Nobel Laureate economist Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus and three other top officials of Grameen Telecom in a case filed over labour law violations.

Rather, the court extended their bail period until July 4 for the next hearing on the appeal against the judgment of the Labor Court.

The case was fixed to be heard at the court of tribunal Judge MA Awal on Thursday (May 23).

Yunus’s lawyer Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun confirmed the information.

Earlier, Dr Yunus went to Labour Appellate Tribunal around 11am and pleaded for his bail as his earlier bail ended today.

Previously, on April 16, the Labour Appellate Tribunal had extended their bail period until May 23 after dismissing an application for permanent bail for Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus and three other accused.

The three others accused in the case are: Grameen Telecom managing director Nazmul Islam, former managing director Ashraful Hasan, directors Md Shahjahan and Noorjahan Begum.

The Dhaka Third Labour Court on January 1 sentenced the four to six months of imprisonment, with a fine of Tk 30,000 each, in the case.

The court also granted them conditional bail on the same day.

On September 9, 2021, Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) filed the case against Dr Yunus and three others alleging that they violated the labour law.

The court on June 6, 2023, framed charges against the four in the case.