Bangladesh’s Nobel laureate economist Dr Muhammad Yunus was on Monday sentenced to six months in jail by a court on charges of labour law violation, a development termed as “politically motivated” by his supporters.
“The allegation against him of violating the labour laws has been proved. It appears that the allegation has not been barred by limitation (either),” said labour court judge Sheikh Merina Sultana while pronouncing the judgment.
The third labour court judge ruled that 83-year-old Yunus, who was present in court, would serve six months of simple or non-rigorous imprisonment for violating the law as Grameen Telecom chairman, along with three other executives of the social business company.
She also slapped a Taka 25,000 fine on each of them, saying that in case of default, they would have to serve 10 more days in jail. Soon after the verdict, Yunus and three others applied for bail. The judge immediately granted one month’s bail in exchange for a Taka 5,000 bond. Under the law, Yunus and the three others could appeal against the verdict in the high court.
Yunus, 83, had won Nobel after he helped millions get out of poverty through his microfinance bank. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who had a fallout with Yunus had accused the economist of “sucking blood” from the poor. His supporters described the latest verdict as “politically motivated”
Yunus and three of his colleagues from Grameen Telecom were accused of failing to create a welfare fund for employees in the company. He slapped a Taka 25,000 fine on each of them, saying that in default they would have to serve 10 more days in jail.
Following the verdict, the four convicted applied for bail. The judge immediately granted a one-month bail in exchange for a Taka 5,000 bond. They are expected to appeal against the verdict in the High Court.
Earlier, 105 Nobel laureates and several others from across the world wrote to Hasina, urging her to put an end to the legal persecution of Yunus. Hasina is set to win a fifth term in the general elections this month after the opposition boycotted the polls.
