February 15, 2024
DHAKA – The cases against Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus may represent a misuse of the labour law to harass and intimidate him, the US said today.
State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said this at a briefing on Monday when a journalist asked about his perspectives on the intrusion of at least 20 unidentified individuals who stormed two offices at the Grameen Telecom building.
“So, I would say regarding the multiple criminal cases filed against Dr Muhammad Yunus, we note that the labour case was tried with unusual speed,” said Miller.
The Anti-corruption Commission has approved a charge sheet for additional cases. Those have drawn widespread condemnation from around the world, he said.
“We share the concerns voiced by other international observers that these cases may represent a misuse of Bangladesh’s labour laws to harass and intimidate Dr Yunus.”
“We worry the perceived misuse of labour and anti-corruption laws could raise questions about the rule of law and dissuade future foreign direct investment,” Miller said.
He also said, “We encourage the Bangladeshi Government to ensure a fair and transparent legal process for Dr Yunus.”
Asked about Matthew Miller’s comment, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud reiterated that the trial is transparent regarding the cases against Yunus.
“Bangladesh’s judiciary is very transparent. Trial against Prof Yunus is going on in a very transparent way,” he said at an event.
His (Yunus) securing bail is the evidence of that, he added.
Hasan said the aggrieved and deprived people of Yunus’ organisation filed the cases, and the government is not a party to that.