Labour Act breach: Dr Yunus's bail extended till July 4

A labour court has extended the bail of Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus and three other top officials of Grameen Telecom in a case filed over Labour Law breach.

The three other accused in the case are Grameen Telecom CEO Md Ashraful Hassan, Managing Director M Shahjahan and Trustee Nurjahan Begum.

MA Awal, chairman (in-charge) of the Labour Appellate Tribunal, passed the order on Thursday. The tribunal also fixed July 4 for the next hearing on the appeal against the judgment of the Labor Court.

On January 1, a Dhaka court sentenced Dr Muhammad Yunus, and three others to six months in jail over labour law violations.

Dhaka Labour Court 3 judge Sheikh Marina Sultana announced the verdict and later granted them bail after they filed separate petitions.

The court also fined them Tk5,000 under one section and Tk25,000 under another, in default of which they would have to spend an additional 10 and 15 days in prison.

The labour court gave them one month to file an appeal in the High Court to challenge the judgment.

On September 9, 2021, the case was filed by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment against Dr Muhammad Yunus and three others for violating labour laws.

According to case files, the department noticed several labour law violations during an inspection at Grameen Telecom.

The violations include failing to permanent the jobs of 101 workers and employees, not forming a workers' participation fund and welfare fund, and failing to provide 5% of the company's dividend to workers.

Dr Yunus was facing more than 100 other charges over labour law violations and alleged graft.