The Dhaka Third Labour Court is set to deliver its verdict today, Monday, in a case filed against Grameen Telecom chairman and Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and three others on charges of labour law violation at Grameen Telecom.
The court chairman, Sheikh Merina Sultana, on December 24 set the date after completion of arguments of both the prosecution and the defence in the much-talked-about case.
Khurshid Alam Khan, the prosecution lawyer for the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, ended his arguments, demanding maximum punishment claiming that they were able to prove the charges against the accused in the case.
Besides, defence lawyer Abdullah Al Mamun concluded arguments seeking acquittal of Professor Yunus and the other three accused from the charges.
Earlier, a total of four prosecution witnesses testified to the labour court in the case.
On June 6, the court framed charges against Professor Yunus and three other top officials of the company—Ashraful Hasan, Nur Jahan Begum and Mohammad Shahjahan.
On September 9, 2021, labour inspector SM Arifuzzaman of the DIFE filed the case with the Dhaka Third Labour Court on an allegation of labour law violation at Grameen Telecom.
According to the case, during a visit to the Grameen Telecom office, inspectors of the DIFE found that 101 employees who were supposed to be permanent employees were working as temporary staff members.
The DIFE also found that no profit participation fund was formed for the workers, while five per cent of the company’s profit was not provided to the workers as per the law.
