Dr Yunus, 13 others secure bail in embezzlement case

A Dhaka court has extended the tenure of the bail to Grameen Telecom Chairman and Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus and 13 others in a case for allegedly embezzling Tk 25 crore from the company and laundering abroad.

Meanwhile, the court also set June 2 for holding a hearing on charge framing in the case. Thursday (2 May) was fixed for holding the indictment hearing. But, Judge Syed Arafat Hossain of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 rescheduled the hearing date, allowing a time plea of the defence.

The 14 accused in the case are- Grameen Telecom Chairman and Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, 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.

Investigation officer in the case and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Deputy Director Gulshan Anwar on February 1 filed the charge sheet against the total 14 accused.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court on April 2, 2024, took into cognizance the charge sheet filed in the case and sent the case to Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 for further proceedings.

According to the case documents, a decision was made at the company's 108th board meeting, presided over by Dr Yunus on May 9, 2022, to open a bank account at the Gulshan branch of Dhaka Bank Limited. However, 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 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.