HC cancels order halting sentencing of Dr Yunus, others in labour law case

The High Court has cancelled an order of the Labour Appellate Tribunal that suspended the conviction and sentencing of Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, chairman of Grameen Telecom, and three other top officials of the company in a labour law violation case.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ibadat Hossain passed the order on Monday following the hearing of a petition challenging the Labour Appellate Tribunal order.

On 1 January, Dhaka Labour Court-3 sentenced the four officials of Grameen Telecom, including Dr Yunus, to six months in jail and fined each Tk30,000 in a case filed by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments on 9 September 2021.

The court also granted Dr Yunus a month's bail on condition of filing an appeal against the verdict of the court.

After the filing of the appeal, the Labour Appeal Tribunal, on 28 January, granted bail to Dr Yunus and three others.

Yesterday, the HC bench said the conviction of the four in the case will remain in effect until the appeal is disposed of. 

However, the sentence will remain suspended as long as the four are on bail. The fine imposed by the labour court shall remain suspended as well.

"All implementable orders of the judgement shall remain suspended until the appeal is disposed of. The Appellate Tribunal will dispose of the appeal as soon as possible. If they go outside the country, they [Grameen Telecom officials] should inform the court concerned."

On 9 September 2021, Inspector Arifuzzaman from the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments filed the case with the labour court, and the court summoned the four accused to appear before it by 12 October that year.

The other three accused are – Grameen Telecom's Director (former managing director) Md Ashraful Hassan and members of the Board of Directors Nurjahan Begum and Md Shahjahan.