A Dhaka court today framed charges against Nobel laureate Dr Yunus and 13 others in a case over embezzling Tk 25.22 crore of the Grameen Telecom Workers' welfare fund.

Dhaka’s Special Judge's Court-4 Judge Syed Arafat Hossain passed the order after rejecting a petition for excluding names of the accused from the charges, said the defendants’ lawyer Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun.

The court also set July 15 to take testimony from the witnesses, formally beginning trial in the case, he said.

Dr Yunus and the other accused are now on bail and they pleaded not guilty, demanding justice while the court was framing charges, said the lawyer.

Read more: US says it will continue to encourage Bangladesh govt to ensure a fair legal process for Dr. Yunus

On February 1 this year, the investigating officer of the case, ACC Deputy Director Gulshan Anwar Pradhan, submitted the charge sheet against Dr. Yunus and 13 others.

The court accepted the charges against them on June 2 after a hearing in this regard.

The 13 other accused in the case are: Grameen Telecom MD Nazmul Islam; Director Ashraful Hasan, former MD Parveen Mahmood; Najnin Sultana, Shahjahan, Noorjahan Begum, and S. M. Hazzatul Islam Latifi, all serving as directors; along with Advocate Yusuf Ali; Advocate Zaforul Hasan Sharif; Md Kamruzzaman, President of the Union of Grameen Telecom Employees; Firoz Mahmud Hasan, General Secretary; Kamrul Hasan, office secretary of the Employees' Union office, and representative Mainul Islam.

Gulshan Anwar, the Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), filed the case as the primary complainant on May 30, 2023.

Read more: Law is taking its own course: Hasan Mahmud says on Dr Yunus case