Jail sentence of Dr Yunus to remain effective: HC

The High Court in its judgment in a case challenging the Labour Appellate Tribunal order that had stayed the conviction of Grameen Telecom Chairman and Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus and three others in a labour law violation case, has observed that there is no provision for staying a sentence before disposal of the appeal.

“The sentence will remain effective until the disposal of the appeal. The appeal can be scrapped, made effective, or modified only after disposal,” the High Court said in its observation in the judgment pronounced on March 18, 2024.

A High Court division bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadat Hossain pronounced the judgment, scrapping the Labour Appellate Tribunal’s order that had stayed the conviction of Grameen Telecom Chairman and Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus and three others in a case filed against them for violating labour law.

The High Court on Wednesday released the full text of the 50-page judgment.

The court in its judgment had said Dr. Yunus and three others’ conviction would remain effective till the disposal of the appeals. It, however, stayed their sentences and fine till disposal of the appeals filed by Yunus and three others challenging Dhaka 3rd Labour Court verdict.

The four convicts will remain free on bail and must inform the court about travelling abroad. The High Court asked the Labour Appellate Tribunal to dispose of the appeals as early as possible.

Dhaka’s 3rd Labour Court on January 1, 2024, convicted and sentenced Grameen Telecom Chairman and Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Grameen Telecom’s director and former managing director Md Ashraful Hasan, members of Board of Directors Nur Jahan Begum and Md Shahjahan to six-month jail in a case filed against them for violating labour law.

Labour Appellate Tribunal on January 28 allowed the four convicts bail in the case and stayed the Labour Court conviction and sentence against them.

Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) on February 4 appealed against the Labour Appellate Tribunal’s order.