Trial in graft case against Dr Yunus, 13 others begins

A Dhaka court has framed charges against Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus and 13 others in a case filed over embezzlement of about Tk 25.22 crore of Grameen Telecom Workers’ Profit Participation Fund.

As a result, trial has begun in the case formally.

Judge Syed Arafat Hossain of the Special Judge’s Court-4 of Dhaka passed the order on Wednesday (June 12), dismissing the application for acquitting the accused of the case.

The trial of the case will start on July 15.

Dr Yunus and 13 others pleaded not guilty and demanded justice in the case during the hearing.

The 13 other accused are Grameen Telecom Managing Director (MD) Nazmul Islam, Directors Ashraful Hasan, Naznin Sultana, Parvin Mahmud, Md Shahjahan, Nurjahan Begum and Professor SM Huzzatul Islam Latifee, President of 'Grameen Telecom Sramik-Karmachari Union Md Kamruzzaman and its General Secretary Firoz Mahmud Hasan, lawyers Zafrul Hasan Sharif and Yusuf Ali, Union's representative Md Mainul Islam and Jatiya Workers Federation's Office Secretary Kamrul Hasan.

On February 1, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) submitted the chargesheet against the 14 people accusing them of misappropriation of Tk 25.22 crore of Grameen Telecom Workers’ Profit Participation Fund.

Gulshan Anwar, Deputy Director of ACC, filed the case on May 30 last year as the plaintiff.