Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus
Dr Yunus, Opportunity International CTO discuss possible collaboration at US Ambassador’s dinner
Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus was hosted by US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, at a dinner on March 4 to meet with Greg Nelson, Chief Technology Officer of Opportunity International.
The organisation promotes and implements microfinance programmes around the world.
They discussed the health programmes of Grameen and Opportunity International and about possible collaboration between the two organisations, said the Yunus Centre on Tuesday.
Read more: ‘Lobbyist-backed’ statement on Dr Yunus won’t impact FDI, Hasan Mahmud says
Amy Haas, Laurie Nelson and Nurjahan Begum, Executive Vice Chairman of Grameen Shikhha, were present on the occasion.
US Ambassador Haas on his LinkedIn posted: “It was an incredible privilege to speak with the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus and Nurjahan Begum about their remarkable work towards improving the lives of people worldwide. Their contributions have made a significant impact and continue to inspire us all. Thank you for the work you do.”
Read more: Govt is not harassing Dr Yunus with false cases: Law Minister
‘An ad, not statement for Yunus on Washington Post’: Foreign Minister
Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday (January 30, 2024) said what appeared on Washington Post regarding Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus was an advertisement, not a statement.
“Washington Post published it as an advertisement. That is an advertisement, not news. Clearly, it was done by a lobbyist firm,” he told reporters while responding to a question.
The Foreign Minister said the lobbyist firm also did the same in the past.
Read: Festivals like DIFF enhance country’s image globally: Dr Hasan Mahmud
He said Bangladesh’s judiciary is transparent and the government is not a party to Yunus’ case.
Dr Hasan said the aggrieved people of Yunus’ organization filed the case and the trial is underway in a very transparent way.
Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus on Sunday claimed that it was the government, not the workers of his company, who filed the labor law violation case against him.
When his attention was drawn to the claim, the Foreign Minister on Monday said, “With due respect to him, I would like to say that what he said is not correct.”
The minister said that the aggrieved workers of Yunus’ company filed the case as they were deprived of what they deserve.
Read: Sheikh Hasina’s leadership is needed for a developed Bangladesh: Dr Hasan Mahmud
More than 241 global leaders, including more than 125 Nobel laureates, expressed their concern over the “continuous judicial harassment and potential jailing” of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus in a third open letter to Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
On January 1, 2024, Professor Yunus and three Grameen Telecom colleagues were convicted of labor law violations, sentenced to six months in jail, and given bail while appeals are considered.
‘Lobbyist-backed’ statement on Dr Yunus won’t impact FDI, Hasan Mahmud says
Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Thursday (January 25, 2024) said any statement “backed by lobbyists” on Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus would have no adverse impact on foreign investment inflow into the country.
“Look, there are several lobbyist firms engaged behind some people who are talking on the Dr Yunus issue. Investment will not be impacted if a statement is backed by lobbyists,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Foreign Minister said Dr Yunus has been in the discussion over the last 12 years and Bangladesh still received significant foreign investment.
Read: China is an important dev and strategic partner of Bangladesh: PM Hasina
“Foreign investment is increasing. There is no relation with that. This is simply a legal matter,” said the Awami League joint general secretary.
He reiterated that Dr Yunus has been sentenced in a case filed by the aggrieved people, and the government is not a party to it.
“With due respect to Dr Yunus, I would like to say that aggrieved people filed the case. The government is not a party to it. It is a decision taken by the court. The government cannot interfere in it,” he said.
Earlier, a Dhaka court sentenced Dr Yunus and three top officials of Grameen Telecom to six months’ jail, with fine of Tk 25000 each, in a case over violation of labor law.
Read: Russian Ambassador hopes Dhaka-Moscow relations will continue to thrive
The others accused in the case are: Ashraful Hasan, CEO of Grameen Telecom Trust; trustee Nurjahan Begum; and managing director M Shahjahan.
They were accused of not making some workers and employees of Grameen Telecom permanent, not encashing public leave, and not depositing certain dividends to the Workers Welfare Foundation.
In the 84-page verdict, the judge said the charges of violating labor laws were proved against them.
The court, however, granted them conditional bail.
Dr Yunus claimed that he had been punished for a crime he did not commit. “I have been punished for a crime that I haven’t committed,” Yunus told reporters after he was convicted in a case over violation of labor law. “If you want to call it justice, you can.”
Read more: Dr Yunus appointed chair of Moscow Financial University’s international advisory board
Dr Yunus gets bail
A court here on Sunday granted bail to Nobel Laureate and Chairman of Grameen Communications Dr Muhammad Yunus and three others in a case filed for violating the labour law.