Dr Yunus' Remarks Are Untrue, Offensive: Law minister

Law Minister Advocate Anisul Huq on Wednesday  said Dr. Yunus is being tried in the same way as any citizen of the country who breaches the law but what he (Yunus) is saying is untrue and insulting to the people of Bangladesh. Various countries including the western ones consider tax evasion cases as important and that's why Dr. Yunus has been sued, he said.

The minister came up with the remarks after a meeting with a European Union (EU) delegation at the conference room of the Ministry of the Law in the capital on Wednesday.

While talking to the reporters at his ministry office in Dhaka this noon, Anisul said, “Yunus dishing out lies over his trial process, humiliating the people of the country.”

A total of 108 workers filed a lawsuit against Yunus on a charge of violating the country’s labour law, he said, adding that a trial in connection with a corruption and tax evasion case is going on against him under the country’s conventional law.

He said Dr Yunus has been sued in cases for not paying tax and even he paid tax after losing in a case at the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for tax evasion. Other cases what he has been facing are all tax evasion related, said the minister.

"They wanted to know when we are going to amend the Labour Law, I told them that we want an end to the complaint that was filed against us at the International Labour Court, I told them that we have done enough work on Labour Law,” the minister said.

Earlier in the day, a delegation of the EU met the law minister at his office and wanted to know about the trial process of Yunus.   

At this time Anisul said they discussed with the European delegation about labour law, artificial intelligence law, data protection act, cyber security act and Rohingya issue also.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court framed charges against Yunus, chairman of Grameen Telecom and 13 others for allegedly embezzling Tk 25 crore from the company and laundering abroad.

Judge Syed Arafat Hossain of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 passed the order, scrapping a discharge petition filed by the accused.

The court read out the charges and asked the accused, who are in bail in the case whether they would plead guilty or not. In response, the accused pleaded not guilty and demanded justice.