Court summons Dr Yunus over labour rules violations

A labour court has summoned Dr Muhammad Yunus, the chairman of the Grameen Communications, in connection with a case filed over violating 10 labour rules, including not forming a workers' participation fund with the company's annual profit.

Apart from Dr Yunus, three more high officials of the IT solutions providing company – Managing Director Nazmin Sultana, Director Abdul Hai Khan and Deputy General Manager Gauri Shankar –have been asked to attend the court in the case.

The Dhaka 3rd Labour Court Judge Rahibul Islam on Monday asked the four people to be present at the court on February 6 next.

Tariqul Islam, an inspector (general) of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, filed the case on January 5 against the four people, including Nobel Laureate economist Dr Yunus, over violations of 10 rules of the labour law.

According to the complaint, Tariqul Islam made a visit to the Grameen Communications on October 10, 2019. He found the company had violated 10 labour rules.

Earlier, another inspector of the department visited the company on April 30 the same year and issued directives, asking the company to rectify the flaws. On May 7, the company responded to those directives by a mail but that could not satisfy the government authorities.

On October 25, the present inspector, Tariqul Islam, again informed the company about its faults. In reply, the company applied for further extension of time to implement the directives. But it failed to submit its reply by the scheduled timeframe.

Against this backdrop, the authorities concerned brought allegations against Grameen Communications over violating 10 rules of the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006, the Bangladesh Labour (Amended) Act 2013 and the Bangladesh Labour Rules 2015.

The 10 rules reportedly violated by Dr Yunus' company

1. Workers/employees were not provided with appointment letters, identity cards with photo and service books.

2. The notice for workers' service hours was not approved by the labour inspector.

3. The safety committee was not formed.

4. Workers' yearend earned leaves were not cashed.

5. The company's recruitment policy was not approved by the labour inspector general.

6. The company did not file its annual and half-yearly returns.

7. No record/register related to workers' compensatory weekly leaves and festival holidays was preserved.

8. The company did not distribute dividend among workers, including not forming workers' participation fund with 5% of the company's annual profit.

9. It did not take a licence from the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.

10. Grameen Communications had no contractor licence even though it had had its employees work in other establishments.