ACC Summons Four over Grameen Telecom Scam

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has summoned four individuals, including the managing director of Grameen Telecom regarding the involvement of Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus in the embezzlement of TK 3,000 crores from Grameen Telecom.

A notice issued by Gulshan Anwar Pradhan, head of the investigation team and deputy director of the ACC, was sent to the addresses of the concerned individuals.

The individuals are Grameen Telecom Managing Director (MD) Nazmul Islam, lawyer Yusuf Ali, lawyer Zafrul Hasan Sharif and representative of Grameen Telecom Sramik-Karmachari Union Mainul Islam.

Previously, the anti-graft watchdog sought the information of all bank accounts of Dr Yunus and Grameen Telecom for misappropriating its employees' welfare fund and embezzling Tk3,000 crore to various affiliate organizations.

On August 1, ACC formed a three-member panel to investigate the four members of the board of directors of Grameen Telecom over the allegations.

The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment wrote to the ACC, asking it to investigate the allegations of misappropriation of employees’ money.

The complaint says that most of the transactions of Grameen Telecom since 1996 are suspicious.

Moreover, on an inspection visit to Grameen Telecom, the department found that 101 workers and staffers who were supposed to have been made permanent staff had not been made so.

No participation fund and welfare fund were formed for them and 5% of the company’s profits were not distributed to the workers in line with the law.

In light of the complaint, a case was filed under Sections 4, 7, 8, 117 and 234 of the Labour Act.