“If someone does not pay tax and embezzles the money of the workers and if a case is filed on behalf of the workers in the Labor Court. Then do we have the authority to close that trial? You guys be the judge!”-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus is facing legal charges for tax evasion and embezzlement of money in Bangladesh. But to rescue him from his labor cheating agenda, innocently, more than a hundred prominent individuals from various fields around the world, including over a hundred Nobel laureates, sent an open letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the 28th of August of 2023, calling for the ongoing legal proceedings against Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus to be halted and ensuring free and fair upcoming parliamentary elections. This is for sure that all those high-profile global personalities who have no idea about the legal base of the case are docked before the Labor Court against Dr. Yunus. Indeed, they only know the cosmetic image of Dr. Yunus, but not his cheating mind against labor. The crystal clear note is that this case was filed by a group of deprived laborers who worked under his management for a long.
You can also read: Dr. Yunus Uses 106 Nobel Laureates to Cheat Labors
Open Letter, 2023 to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
On 28 August 2023, Cision PR Newswire a Chicago-based news and PR agency of United States published the open letter on their website. The signatories of the letter include former U.S. President Barack Obama, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President of East Timor José Ramos-Horta, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The letter states, “Recent actions targeting Dr. Yunus have deeply troubled us, and we believe they constitute an ongoing judicial harassment.”
Last year, in March, 40 global figures expressed concern to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by writing an open letter regarding Dr. Yunus’ “Security and Independence” for the first time. The open letter was published by The Washington Post. In addition to that, on August 27th, 2023, former U.S. President Barack Obama wrote a special letter expressing support for Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
The Letter
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These esteemed individuals in global leadership stated in the letter that,
” We write to you as Nobel Prize laureates, elected officials, and business and civil society leaders, and as friends of Bangladesh. We admire how your nation has made laudable progress since its independence in 1971.
However, we are deeply concerned by the threats to democracy and human rights that we have observed in Bangladesh recently. We believe that it is of the utmost importance that the upcoming national election be free and fair and that the administration of the election be acceptable to all major parties in the country. The previous two national elections lacked legitimacy.
One of the threats to human rights that concerns us in the present context is the case of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. We are alarmed that he has recently been targeted by what we believe to be continuous judicial harassment. This letter attempts to build upon an earlier appeal to you by 40 global leaders who were concerned about his safety and freedom.
We respectfully ask that you immediately suspend the current judicial proceedings against Professor Yunus, followed by a review of the charges by a panel of impartial judges drawn from within your nation with some role for internationally recognized legal experts. We are confident that any thorough review of the anti-corruption and labor law cases against him will result in his acquittal.
As you know, Professor Yunus’ work, which has been inspirational to all of us, focuses on how social business can be a force for international progress resulting in zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions. He is a leading example of how Bangladesh and Bangladeshis have contributed to global progress in recent decades. We sincerely wish that he be able to continue his path-breaking work free of persecution or harassment.
We hope that you ensure the resolution of these legal issues in an expedient, impartial, and just manner while also ensuring a free, fair, and participatory national election in the coming months and respect for all human rights. We will join with millions of concerned citizens around the world in closely tracking how these matters are resolved in the days ahead.”
Prime Minister’s Response
On the evening of 30th August 2023, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended the post BRICS Summit press conference at Ganabhaban. Sheikh Hasina responded to the Journalist’s question regarding the recent open letter supporting Dr. Yunus.
Sheikh Hasina stated” The judiciary system of our country is completely independent. And except that, in our country, everything is governed under law.”
“If someone does not pay tax and embezzles the money of the workers and if a case is filed on behalf of the workers in the Labor Court. Then do we have the authority to close that trial? You guys be the judge!”-Hasina Added.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasin also invited the foreign well-wishers of Dr. Yunus to send experts and lawyers to investigate Dr. Yunus’ case and charges to find out whether there is any injustice being done.
Country’s Interest or Personal Interest
The open letter from global leaders to the honorable Prime Minister regarding Dr. Yunus has left many people wondering what is more valuable, Personal interest or the country’s interest? Moreover, the phrase ‘invisible hand of profit’ is coming up for a reasonable reason.
Grameen Bank has 9 million borrowers. However, it is disappointing that the supporting global leaders who sent the open letter did not consider the fact that Professor Yunus has an allegation of transferring funds improperly from foreign donors to various private institutions for his benefit which indeed has several ground evidences.
In 2010, a Danish documentary by Tom Heinemann titled “Caught in Micro Debt” alleged that Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank diverted approximately $100 million from loans intended to provide housing facilities for the poor in Bangladesh, to the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). It’s important to note that these allegations and controversies have given rise to complex discussions and ongoing investigations about Dr. Yunus and his involvement in various financial activities. It’s crucial to consider multiple viewpoints and carefully evaluate the available information to form a well-informed opinion on the matter.
Controversies of Grameen
Professor Yunus established Grameen Telecom and made significant investments in the country’s leading local mobile network provider, Grameenphone. Through Grameen Bank, he pioneered the concept of providing small loans (microcredit) to millions of rural women, a landmark achievement for poverty alleviation. In recognition of his efforts, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2006 for his innovative approach to addressing poverty through microcredit, which empowered countless rural women.
Furthermore, the alarming strategy of debt recovery by Grameen Bank brings to mind the notion of its “profit” and the invisible hand of greed. Which makes Professor Dr. Yunus’s gains and self-interest from Grameen Bank “visible”. This aspect is no longer hidden. In this context, it’s noteworthy that the government’s taken initiatives aimed at poverty alleviation in Bangladesh, and there is no invisible hand of profit behind it, unlike in the case of institutions like Grameen Bank. Due to the government’s various welfare programs, poverty in Bangladesh is now on the path of decline. The political commitment of Sheikh Hasina’s government is aimed at eradicating poverty in the country. The government is actively working towards this goal.
Influencing World Bank’s Fund Termination
Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who was once praised nationally and internationally for his efforts in poverty alleviation, has seen a decline in his reputation due to various controversies, starting from influencing the World Bank for the termination of funds for the Padma Bridge project, to allegations of misappropriation of microcredit funds, misuse of power, and violations of foreign travel regulations in Bangladesh. This tarnished role in multiple occurrences has led to a significant reduction in his prominence. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Professor Yunus’s Nobel Peace Prize recognition led to his honor in Bangladesh; however, due to the mysterious organizational structure, his institution faced numerous investigations and allegations.
Dr. Yunus has been accused of strongly opposing the World Bank’s financing for Bangladesh’s largest infrastructure project, the Padma Bridge. During his withdrawal of the opposing proposal, Yunus made a big scene about high-level corruption within the government. However, in 2017, a court in Canada dismissed allegations of corruption against Bangladesh, suggesting that the claims were strategically motivated against Bangladesh.
The World Bank’s former president, Robert B. Zoellick, asserted that there were no credible reasons to cancel the loans and that none of Bangladesh’s partner countries had defaulted on their loan repayments. This was a clear conspiracy that is still in the uproar. At last, it was found that Zoellick was forced to sign the fund cancellation documents as the last assignment of his service.
Legal Charges against Yunus
Recently, the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh, DUDOK initiated an investigation against Grameen Telecom (GT) and its management board in a money laundering case involving TK3,000 crore. The allegations include misappropriation of 5% reserved benefits for employees, unauthorized deductions of 6% from lawyers’ fees and workers’ salaries as other charges, embezzlement of more than TK45.52 crore from employees’ welfare funds, and illegal transfer of TK2,977 crore from the company.
You can also read: Grameen Bank’s High-Interest Rates Do Not Yield People Benefits
The list of allegations against Dr. Yunus’ organization is not new. On September 9, 2021, a case was filed against Dr. Yunus and three others under sections 4, 7, 8, 117, and 234 of the Labor Act by the Department of Factory and Establishment Inspection for violating labor laws. They were formally accused of violating the country’s labor laws for their established social business organization. Dr. Yunus publicly apologized for the violation and acknowledged that his established social business organization had indeed breached the labor law.
Additionally, recently a significant allegation has emerged against Dr. Yunus, where he has been accused of unlawfully settling 110 cases of labor union and employee complaints against Grameen Telecom for TK250 million. In 2015, he was also embroiled in controversy when the National Board of Revenue (NBR) of Bangladesh called upon Dr. Yunus for paying unpaid taxes accounting for over USD1.51 million.
Empowering or Exploiting?
Due to the global community’s tendency to overlook negative aspects of Dr. Yunus and his international recognition, his fame has remained intact. In March 2011, Yunus was asked to retire from his position as the CEO of the bank due to a violation of the country’s retirement law, which states that his retirement age is 60. At that time, Yunus was 70 years old. The Bangladesh government invited him to work as an “Emeritus Adviser,” but he declined the offer and filed a case against the government. Eventually, Dr. Yunus lost the fight after a legal battle in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
Unfortunately, afterward, he sought foreign support, especially from the United States and other international organizations, to restore his position at Grameen Bank. He invited various European legal experts, then-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Cherie Blair, the wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, to lobby for a change in the government’s decision in his favor. In reality, despite being a Nobel laureate, his efforts to seek assistance from multiple foreign countries and organizations to resolve his issues do not necessarily reflect a strong commitment to his country’s interests.
Yunus was also embroiled in controversy when some economists accused him of exploiting the poor’s plight for personal gain by charging them exorbitant interest rates. Dr. Kazi Khaliquzzaman Ahmad, the Chairman of PKSF (Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation), described microfinance as a “death trap” for Bangladesh’s poor.
A Different Resort: Coronation in Politics
In 2007, when a caretaker administration was supported by the Bangladesh Army, Dr. Yunus got himself engaged in a controversial political venture. During a period when all political activities were banned in the country, he formed a political party and sought permission to initiate his political activities. On February 11, 2007, Dr. Yunus appealed for public support to form a political party to “reform” the country’s politics. Regardless, the public rejected his party, and through skillful maneuvering and a dubious agreement behind the scenes, the plan for his power intrusion was thwarted.
Unfortunately, this esteemed Nobel laureate has taken a clear stance on devaluing the constitution by advocating for elections under a caretaker government, implying that without such an arrangement, he would be financially affected. Regrettably, Dr. Yunus being a public figure with a global reputation has positioned himself as a supporter of a specific political alliance regarding ownership of a bank. This is unfortunate. In the history of the Nobel Prize, no victorious individual has compromised the dignity of the award for personal vendettas.