January 01, 2024
Nobel laureate Bangladeshi economist Professor Muhammad Yunus was sentenced to 6 months in prison.
Dhaka's labor court sentenced 83-year-old prominent banker Muhammad Younis for violating labor laws, allegedly failing to create a workers' welfare fund in his company, and fined Muhammad Younis and his three colleagues 25,000 taka. A fine has also been imposed.
Muhammad Yunus and his colleagues filed a bail application which was approved, the court granted one month bail to the criminals for 5 thousand taka.
Muhammad Yunus has announced to approach the High Court against the sentence, the supporters of Muhammad Yunus have described the sentence as political motivation.
Lawyers for Professor Younis say he faces more than 100 other charges of labor law violations and alleged corruption.
Who is Muhammad Yunus?
Bangladesh's microlender Grameen Bank and its founder Muhammad Yunus were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.
Sweden's Nobel Committee, which decides on the prizes, said that Mohammad Yunus and his bank were awarded the prize for their work to eradicate poverty.
Muhammad Yunus founded the Grameen Bank in 1976 to provide small loans to the poor, a system known as 'micro-credit'.
The Nobel Committee said that sustainable peace in the world is not possible until a large part of the population can get out of poverty and microcredit is a way out of poverty, development at the local level will also benefit democracy and human rights.
Grameen Bank's successful effort to lift people out of poverty has been emulated in other developing countries, including Pakistan.
Conflict with Hasina Wajid administration
Mohammad Yunus announced the formation of a political party in 2007, the year after receiving the Nobel Prize. He criticized politicians and said that they were only interested in gaining wealth, but he did not follow through on his announcement to form a party. can do
When Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina Wajid came to power in 2008, a series of investigations began against Professor Younis.
The Hasina Wajid government launched a review of Grameen Bank in the summer of 2011, and Professor Younis, who served as managing director, was sacked, accused of violating official retirement rules.
In 2013, Muhammad Yunus was prosecuted again, this time on charges that he had received money without the government's permission, including Nobel Prize money and royalties from a book.
Apart from this, Muhammad Yunus faced charges and a trial related to another company of his, Grameen Telecom, in which he has been convicted.
Last year, more than 100 Nobel laureate leaders, including former US President Barack Obama and former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, said in an open letter that they are deeply concerned about the recent threats to democracy and human rights in Bangladesh. Worried that Professor Younis has to face a situation which is definitely 'constant judicial harassment'.
