Law is taking its own course: Hasan tells about Dr Yunus case

The law is taking its course regarding the case against Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said today (5 June).

"With due respect for Dr Yunus, I would say the law is taking its course. Law is not being misused here. Rather, he is getting much sympathy from the court which other accused do not get," he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, the court granted him bail immediately and he was not even arrested for an hour.

He said he has a doubt whether anyone else would get such sympathy for what Dr Yunus is getting.

Hasan made the remarks when a reporter drew his attention about the US remarks regarding the Yunus case.

The United States has said it is closely monitoring the developments in the case against Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.

"We will continue to encourage the Bangladeshi government to ensure a fair and transparent legal process for Dr Yunus as the appeals process continues," said Mathew Miller, spokesperson for the US Department of State, during a regular briefing on 4 June.

Miller expressed concerns that these cases might represent a "misuse" of Bangladesh's labor laws to "harass and intimidate" Dr Yunus.

"We also worry that the perceived misuse of labor and anti-corruption laws could raise questions about the rule of law and dissuade foreign direct investment," he added.

The government of Bangladesh has maintained that it is not a party to the case involving Dr Yunus and emphasised the independence and transparency of its judicial process.

"With due respect to Dr Yunus, I would like to say that the judicial process of Bangladesh is transparent. That's why many members of the ruling party face trials and even jail sentences," Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told journalists recently.