Rights activists express concern over 'harassment' of Dr Yunus
They urged the government to stop “motivated and biased” use of law “to harass” Dr Yunus and called for recognising the importance of protecting the civic space
A section of rights activists, economists and educationists have expressed deep concern over Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus' jail sentence over violation of the Labour Law and called for a "transparent" judicial process.
"We are deeply concerned at the recent plight of Prof Muhammad Yunus and his three colleagues of Grameen Telecom," the country's eminent citizens said in a joint statement on Friday.
The statement from economist Hossain Zillur Rahman, rights activists Hameeda Hossain, Khushi Kabir, Rasheda K Chowdhury and Shaheen Anam, lawyers Shahdeen Malik, ZI Khan Panna and Syeda Rizwana Hasan and educationist Shahnaz Huda, among others said the court verdict was given through criminal prosecution considering the violation of the law as a criminal offence.
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Additionally, the judicial process has been expedited by the state influence, while many other important cases have been limping for years, they alleged.
"While law should follow its own course, we, as citizens, call upon all concerned to follow the due process in an objective, transparent and non-motivated way," the statement reads.
They urged the government to stop "motivated and biased" use of law "to harass" Dr Yunus and called for recognising the importance of protecting the civic space and ending all ongoing harassment against the civil society groups.
Dr Yunus, also chairman of Grameen Telecom, along with the company's three senior officials was handed down six-month jail and Tk30,000 fine each by a Dhaka court on Monday for infringing the law.
The charges include failing to provide a 5% dividend to the Grameen Telecom workers, not regularising 101 staff members, and not compensating workers for working on public holidays.
