Govt not harassing Dr Yunus: FM Momen

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said Bangladesh government is not harassing Nobel Laureate Professor Dr Yunus on any political or other reasons.

“They (those who wrote letters) may think that he (Yunus) is being harassed due to political or other reasons. We hope they will know the facts. We will provide if they want to know,” he told reporters while at a briefing at a foreign ministry, BSS reports.

The foreign minister said the government did not file any case against Dr Yunus rather he is facing legal process with allegation of cheating with the labourers and tax evasion.

“We respect him as a great Nobel Laureate as he brought honour for us,” he said.

The Foreign Minister said he doesn’t want to make any remark on the issue as it’s a matter related to the court. “It is the court’s decision and the government has nothing to do with it,” he added.

Momen said that he believed there is a communication gap between those who wrote letters on favour of Dr Yunus and the actual facts.

More than 160 global leaders, including over 100 Nobel laureates, wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, expressing their deep concern about the safety and wellbeing of Prof Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s only Nobel laureate.