Labour law violation: HC stays Yunus's sentence until disposal of appeals

The High Court today scrapped the Labour Appellate Tribunal's order which stayed conviction and sentences of Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus and three other top officials of Grameen Telecom in a labour law violation case.

The HC, however, stayed their sentences and fine till disposal of the appeals filed by Yunus and three others challenging the verdict of the Third Labour Court in Dhaka in the case.

The appeals are pending with the Labour Appellate Tribunal in Dhaka.

The HC today asked the Labour Appellate Tribunal to dispose of the appeals as early as possible.

While delivering verdict on a petition, the HC said the conviction of Prof Yunus and three others will remain operational till disposal of their appeals.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadot Hossain said bail of the accused will remain in force as per order of the Labour Appellate Tribunal in the case and they must inform the tribunal if they go abroad.

The bench also stayed the labour court directive that asked Yunus and others to comply with relevant rules in respect of the jobs of the workers till disposal of the appeal.

The HC delivered the verdict after holding hearing on the rule that questioned the legality of the Labour Appellate Tribunal's order which stayed the conviction and sentences of Yunus and three others.

Following a criminal revision petition filed by Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, the HC bench on February 5 issued the rule asking the state to explain why the Labour Appellate Tribunal's stay order should not be scrapped and also halted the stay order till disposal of the rule.

On that day, the HC said as the four accused -- Yunus, chairman of Grameen Telecom, and its directors Ashraful Hassan, Nurjahan Begum, and M Shahjahan -- are on bail, their sentences will remain suspended until their appeals are disposed of.