Dr Yunus gets bail in money embezzlement case

Grameen Telecom Chairman and Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus has secured bail in a case filed against him for allegedly embezzling Tk 25 crore from the company.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge As-Shams Jaglul Hossain passed the order on Sunday following he had surrendered before the court and applied for bail.

Apart from Dr Muhammad Yunus, Grameen Telecom's Managing Director Md Nazmul Islam, Directors- Md Ashraful Hasan, Parvin Mahmud, Naznin Sultana, Md Shahjahan, Nurjahan Begum, and Professor SM Hazzatul Islam Latifi also surrendered and applied for bail. 

The court, however, accepted their bail pleas.

Earlier on February 1, the Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Gulshan Anwar Pradhan, submitted a charge sheet against 14 people, including Dr Muhammad Yunus, in the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court.

The other accused are Grameen Telecom Managing Director (MD) Nazmul Islam, Directors Ashraful Hasan, Naznin Sultana, Parvin Mahmud, Md Shahjahan, Nurjahan Begum and Professor SM Huzzatul Islam Latifee, President of 'Grameen Telecom Sramik-Karmachari Union Md Kamruzzaman and its General Secretary Firoz Mahmud Hasan, lawyers Zafrul Hasan Sharif and Yusuf Ali, Union's representative Md Mainul Islam and Jatiya Workers Federation's Office Secretary Kamrul Hasan.

According to the case documents, a decision was made at the company's 108th board meeting with Dr Yunus in the chair on May 9, 2022, to open a bank account at the Gulshan branch of Dhaka Bank Limited. But, it was found that the account was opened a day before the decision was even made.

More than Tk 26 crore was transferred to the account on different occasions, as per 'fake settlement agreements' and the decision of the board. But before even distributing the share of the company's profit to the workers, and letting them know, the accused embezzled around Tk 25 crore from the fund.

Source: BSS