Labour law violation case: SC orders disposal of rule on charge framing against Dr Yunus within two weeks

The Appellate Division on Thursday directed the High Court to dispose of a rule questioning the charge framing against Nobel Laureate and Grameen Telecom Chairman Dr Muhammad Yunus and four others by lower court in a case filed over violation of labour law.

A six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Assistant Attorney General M Saiful Alam appeared for the state while Advocate Abdullah Al-Mamun and Advocate Khwaja Tanvir Ahmed appeared for Dr Yunus and four others. Senior Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the Directorate of Inspection of Factories and Establishments.

Earlier, on 9 September 2021, Labour Inspector Arifuzzaman of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, filed the case with Dhaka 3rd Labour Court.

The others accused in the case are- Ashraful Hasan, CEO of Grameen Telecom Trust, trustee Nurjahan Begum and managing director M 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.

Upon a complaint, a criminal case was filed under sections 4, 7, 8, 117, 234 of the Labour Act.

On 12 October, the labour court granted bail to all four accused.

Later on 7 December, Prof Yunus filed a petition with the High Court seeking scrapping of the case.

On 12 December, HC stayed the procedure of a case for six months.

On 17 August last year, the High Court (HC) rejected a petition to scrap the case.

Later Prof Yunus filed a leave to appeal against the High Court verdict.

On 6 June this year, Dhaka Labour Court-3 framed charges against the four accused.

Dr Yunus and three others filed a petition challenging the legality of the charge framing and seeking a stay order on trial proceedings in the case.

The High Court on 23 July issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the indictment order against the four people should not be scrapped.