Nobel Prize laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus has been granted bail until May 23 by the Labor Appellate Tribunal after being accused of violating labor laws and he appeared before the tribunal on Tuesday, represented by Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun, while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Directorate of Factories.
The case, filed for labor law violation, commenced at 11 a.m., with Dr. Yunus seeking permanent bail during the proceedings. He lodged an appeal against the allegations on January 28 before the Labor Appellate Tribunal.
On the same day, the tribunal granted bail to Dr. Yunus and three others, suspending the sentence previously issued by the Labor Court. Dr. Abdullah al-Mamun, representing Dr. Yunus, confirmed that the tribunal had accepted their appeal and suspended the lower court`s ruling until further notice. The court set March 3 as the deadline for submitting documents to the lower court, granting permanent bail to all defendants until the appeal hearing concludes.
Addressing the media, Dr. Abdullah al-Mamun clarified misconceptions regarding the case`s origins, stating that the government, through the Directorate of Industries, initiated the proceedings. He criticized the verdict as unjust, citing legal provisions that mandate fines rather than imprisonment for such offenses under the Labor Act.
Dr. Yunus and three others were sentenced to six months of unpaid labor on January 1, following a judgment signed by Judge Sheikh Marina Sultana. The verdict found them guilty of violating several sections of the Labor Act 2006, including provisions related to employee benefits and management obligations.
Despite the initial sentencing, the defendants have been granted bail pending the appeal process, signaling a temporary reprieve in the legal battle.
