DHAKA, Bangladesh — A labor court in Bangladesh’s capital Monday sentenced Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus to 6 months in prison for breaching the nation’s labor laws.
Yunus, who originated the usage of microcredit to aid impoverished individuals, was present in court and was approved bail. The court provided Yunus 30 days to appeal the decision and sentence.
Grameen Telecom, which Yunus established as a non-profit company, is at the center of the case.
Sheikh Merina Sultana, head of the Third Labor Court of Dhaka, stated in her decision that Yunus’ business breached Bangladeshi labor laws. She stated at least 67 Grameen Telecom employees were expected to be made long-term workers however were not, and a “welfare fund” to assistance the personnel in cases of emergencysituation or unique requires was neverever formed. She likewise stated that, following business policy, 5% of Grameen’s dividends were expected to be dispersed to personnel however was not.
Sultana discovered Yunus, as chairman of the business, and 3 other business directors guilty, sentencing each to 6 months in prison. Yunus was likewise fined 30,000 takas, or $260.
Yunus stated he would appeal.
“We are being penalized for a criminaloffense we did not devote. It was my fate, the country’s fate. We haveactually accepted this decision, however will appeal this decision and continue battling versus this sentence,” the 83-year-old economicexpert informed pressreporters after the decision was revealed.
A defense legalrepresentative slammed the ruling, stating it was unjust and versus the law. “We haveactually been denied of justice,” stated lawyer Abdullah Al Mamun.
But the prosecution was delighted with what they stated was an anticipated decision.
“We think company owners will now be more careful about breaching labor laws. No one is above the law,” districtattorney Khurshid Alam Khan informed The Associated Press.
Grameen Telecom owns 34.2% of the nation’s biggest mobile pho