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

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday (August 20, 2023) ordered to continue the trial proceedings after dismissing a petition submitted by Nobel laureate and Chairman of Grameen Communications, Dr Muhammad Yunus, and three others in a case over violation of labour law. A regular and full bench consisting of seven justices of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order after hearing the petition, said the defendants’ counsel, Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun. On September 9, 2021, Labour Inspector Arifuzzaman, of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, filed the case with Dhaka's 3rd Labour Court. Read: Labour law violation case: SC orders disposal of rule on charge framing against Dr Yunus within two weeks Other accused in the case are: Ashraful Hasan, Managing Director of Grameen Telecom, and its directors, Nurjahan Begum and Shahjahan. According to the case, in an inspection visit to Grameen Telecom, inspectors of the department found that 101 workers and staff who were supposed to be permanent were not made so. No participation fund and welfare fund were formed for them and five percent of the company’s profit was not provided to the workers following the law. Read: Appellate Division orders Dr Yunus to pay NBR Tk 12 crore tax on donations Later on December 7, Prof Yunus filed a petition with the High Court seeking scrapping of the case. On December 12, HC stayed the procedure of a case for six months. On June 6 this year, the Labour Court ordered the trial in the case through framing chargesheets against the accused. Later, Dr Yunus filed a petition with the HC seeking cancellation of the charge framing order. Subsequently, on August 8, the HC rejected the petition. Read more: Supreme Court to hear Dr Yunus's petition on July 23 Later, the Nobel laureate filed the petition with the Appellate Division seeking cancellation of the charge framing order. The division led by the chief justice cleared the petition after hearing it on Sunday.

The Appellate Division on Monday stayed for two months the trial proceedings of a case filed against Nobel Laureate and Chairman of Grameen Communications Dr Muhammad Yunus over violation of Labour Law. A three-member bench led by Justice Md Nuruzzaman passed the order. The SC also ordered the HC bench led by Justice SM Kuddus Zaman to dispose of the rule seeking explanation  as to why the case against Dr Yunus should not be cancelled, said Attorney General AM Amin Uddin. Read: HC grants 6 months bail to accused Sylhet cop in custodial death case On June 7, the Appellate Division ordered  disposing of the rule within two months. On September 9, last year, Labour Inspector Arifuzzaman of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, filed the case with Dhaka third labour court. Other accused in the case are Ashraful Hasan, Managing Director of Grameen Telecom, its director Nurzahan Begum and Shahjahan. According to the case, in an inspection visit to Grameen Telecom inspectors of the department found that 101 workers and staff who were supposed to be permanent were not made so. No participation fund and welfare fund was formed for them and five per cent of the company’s profit was not provided to the workers following the law. Read: Court fixes June 20 for hearing arguments against ex-OC Pradeep and his wife Upon the complaint a criminal case was filed under section 4,7,8, 117, 234 of the Labour Act. On October 12, the labour court granted bail to the all four accused. Later on December 7, Dr Yunus filed a petition with the High Court seeking cancellation of the case. On December 12, The High Court on Sunday stayed for six months the procedure of a case filed against Dr Muhammad Yunus over violation of labour law. The court also issued a rule asking the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments why the case will not be set aside. The court asked secretaries of the ministry of law, ministry of labour and employment and others involved to respond to the rule.