PM Hasina
PM Hasina returns home from G20 summit in New Delhi
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday returned home after attending the G20 summit in New Delhi.
She arrived by a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight that landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 3:38pm.
She and her entourage members departed from New Delhi's Palam Airport at 1:08pm local time. Indian Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Singh Patel saw her off at the airport.
PM Hasina departs for New Delhi to attend G-20 summit
The Prime Minister on Friday last went to India to attend the G20 summit at an invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
Dhaka, New Delhi likely to sign 3 MoUs during PM Hasina’s G-20 visit to India: Momen
During the three-day visit, Hasina joined a bilateral meeting with Modi in the afternoon of September 8 at his official residence.
Before their bilateral meeting, the two countries inked three MoUs on “Cooperation in agricultural research”, “Cultural exchange” and “Simplification of financial transactions between the common people of the two countries”.
At the G20 summit, on September 9, PM Hasina attended different sessions and delivered two speeches under the main theme of the summit “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.On the same day, the prime minister also met with the Argentine President Alberto Angel Fernandez, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Sheikh Hasina also had a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz on Sunday morning.
‘Why would you call yourselves minority?’: PM to Hindu community
On September 10, the last day of the G20 summit, Bangladesh prime minister along with the leaders of other countries paid homage at the Memorial of Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat.
She also joined the concluding session of the conference where “G20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration” was adopted.
India's G20 presidency began in December 2022 and during this presidency term, India invited a total nine guest countries, including Bangladesh, at the summit.
Humans and Mother Earth can exist only by mutual support: PM Hasina tells G20 summit
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said mutual support is the only means for the existence of mankind and the Earth.
“The reality is humans and our Mother Earth can exist only by mutual support,” she said.
The prime minister was addressing the ‘Session: One Earth’ in the G20 Leaders’ Summit 2023 at the Bharat Mandapam Center (ECC) at the Pragati Maidan here.
The theme for this G20 summit is “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”
For the existence of the humans and the Earth, Sheikh Hasina also has called for a global order which should pave solutions to poverty alleviation, mitigating climate change effects, preventing conflicts, and financing technological transfer for a knowledge-based society.
“We want a global order which should pave solutions to poverty alleviation, mitigating climate change effects, preventing conflicts, and financing technological transfer for a knowledge-based society,” she said.
The African Union is joining the G20, a powerful acknowledgement of a continent of 1 billion people
The prime minister said, this summit is taking place at a time when the Earth is impacted by multiple crises of climate change, COVID-19 pandemic, and challenges of sanctions and counter-sanctions.
“These challenges make it imperative for all to embrace the vision of one community with shared future for mankind, for peace and development,” she said.
Bangladesh, despite making a negligible contribution to global climate change, has suffered the most as a victim of its consequences, she said.
PM Hasina joins world leaders at G20 summit in New Delhi
“Therefore, our development endeavours are focused on green and sustainable development. Now, we are also taking circular economy approaches,” she said.
She mentioned that Bangladesh endorses the campaign of LIFESTYLE movement launched by Prime Minister Modi to promote environmentally conscious practices.
According to the World Bank’s Groundswell Report 2021, impacts of Climate Change may drive 13.3 million people from their usual habitats by 2050.
India's rising geopolitical clout will be tested as it hosts the G20 summit
“Though Bangladesh has little scope for mitigation, we have undertaken many transformative measures to tackle perilous impacts of climate change consistent with implementing the Paris Agreement, and achieving the SDGs,” she saddes.
In 1997, the PM Hasina said she initiated a project named Ashrayan, or shelter for homeless.
Under this initiative, till August this year, the government has rehabilitated nearly 840,000 landless and homeless families with houses and land at free of cost.
“Our target is to have Bangladesh free of homeless and landless people,” she informed the world leaders.
PM Hasina joins world leaders at G20 summit in New Delhi
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday (September 09, 2023) joined the world leaders at G20 summit being held at Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.
On her arrival at the venue, she was welcomed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM Hasina has been invited as a guest by host Prime Minister Modi along with leaders from Egypt, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and UAE.
PM Hasina reaches New Delhi to attend G-20 summit
The G20 bloc comprises 19 countries- Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and United States) and European Union.
The G20 members represent around 85 percent of the global GDP, over 75 percent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
The G20 was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis as a forum for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues.
The theme of India’s G20 Presidency - “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth · One Family · One Future” - is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad. Essentially, the theme affirms the value of all life – human, animal, plant, and microorganisms – and their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe.
PM Hasina departs for New Delhi to attend G-20 summit
The theme also spotlights LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), with its associated, environmentally sustainable and responsible choices, both at the level of individual lifestyles as well as national development, leading to globally transformative actions resulting in a cleaner, greener and bluer future.
G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation and it plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues.
The 19 member countries are therefore divided up into five groups comprising a maximum of four countries each. Most of the groups are formed on a regional basis, that is countries from the same region are usually put in the same group. Only Group 1 (Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United States) and Group 2 (India, Russia, South Africa and Türkiye) do not follow this pattern.
Group 3 includes Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico; Group 4 includes France, Germany, Italy, and United Kingdom; and Group 5 includes China, Indonesia, Japan, and Republic of Korea.
The EU, the 20th member, is not a member of any of these regional groups.
Dhaka, New Delhi likely to sign 3 MoUs during PM Hasina’s G-20 visit to India: Momen
Each year another country from a different group assumes the G20 Presidency. The countries in a group are each equally entitled to take on the Presidency when it is their group's turn, though.
India, from Group 2, holds the current Presidency of the G20 from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023.
The G20 Presidency is responsible for bringing together the G20 agenda in consultation with other members and in response to developments in the global economy. To ensure continuity, the Presidency is supported by a "troika" made up of the current, immediate past and next host countries.
During India's Presidency, the members of the G20 troika are Indonesia, India and Brazil.
In addition to the member countries, each G20 Presidency invites other guest countries and international organisations (IOs) to participate in the G20 meetings and Summit.
Read more Hasina, Modi agree to resolve outstanding bilateral issues through talks
India has invited India has invited ISA, CDRI and ADB in addition to the regular G20 International Organisations (UN, IMF, WB, WHO, WTO, ILO, FSB and OECD) and Chairs of Regional Organisations (AU, AUDA-NEPAD and ASEAN).
In the summit, the G20 leaders would discuss and find solutions to several key global issues including digital transformation, climate financing, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), food security, the economic and social impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war and increasing the capacity of multilateral development banks, among others.
World leaders attending the event in New Delhi are US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez, Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, among others.
Sheikh Hasina has also schedule to have bilateral meetings with the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of Republic Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and Argentine President Alberto Angel Fernandez on the sidelines of the summit.
Read more Hasina, Modi look forward to CEPA as next step up in ties
Another dream comes true: PM Hasina opens country’s first elevated expressway
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday (September 02, 2023) inaugurated the 11.5 km Airport- Farmgate segment of 19.73-km Dhaka Elevated Expressway, the first of its kind in the country, raising high hope to reduce traffic congestion and commuters’ travel time in the capital.
The long-awaited expressway, one of the mega infrastructure projects under the current government, will be opened to traffic on Sunday morning and it will take 10 minutes for a vehicle to reach Farmgate from Kawla with a speed up to 60 km per hour.
This is the first project in the transport sector being implemented under the public-private partnership (PPP) with foreign investment.
The expressway has been decorated with placards and flags, which will be removed before the opening of the structure to traffic at 6:00am tomorrow (Sunday, September 03, 2023).
Read more What are the toll rates for Dhaka Elevated Expressway?
PM's younger sister Sheikh Rehana was also present at the event.
The car carrying the prime minister entered the expressway from the north end in Kawla area near the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after paying toll at the toll plaza there.
At that time, the prime minister paid Tk 2000 toll for 25 vehicles in her motorcade. The vehicles of of the motorcade fall under a toll slab of Tk 80 each.
She got off the expressway in Tejgaon area to join a civic rally at the old trade fair ground in Agargaon.
About 80,000 vehicles will be able to pass through the Dhaka Elevated Expressway every day, project officials say.
The expressway is expected to increase traffic capacity within and around the city by improving connectivity between the northern part of Dhaka City with the Central, South and South-Eastern part.
In addition to providing a much-needed increase in traffic capacity, the expressway will ease existing overloaded roads.
Read: Which vehicles can’t use Dhaka Elevated Expressway?
When fully completed, the Dhaka Elevated Expressway will run from the capital’s Kawla to Kutubkhali area of Dhaka-Chattogram highway via Kuril-Banani-Mohakhali-Tejgaon-Moghbazar-Kamalapur-Sayedabad-Jatrabari, according to Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
Vehicles will have to pay tolls for using the expressway. Tolls will be collected in four categories.
Private cars, microbuses (
Big hopes of transformation in commute: Dhaka Elevated Expressway ready for opening today
The much-awaited Dhaka Elevated Expressway – one of the mega infrastructure projects implemented by the current government – is set to open today (September 02, 2023) with big hopes of easing Dhaka’s traffic congestion and commuting costs by reducing travel time to a great extent.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the Kawla-Farmgate section of the elevated expressway, Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader had said.
Read : Elevated expressway marks first of 9 megaprojects to be inaugurated before election
The Dhaka Elevated Expressway will be open to traffic from 6 am tomorrow (September 03, 2023).
The authorities have set the speed limit at 60 km while motorbikes and bicycles will not be allowed on the expressway.
Once opened, it will take 10 minutes for a vehicle with a speed of up to 60km per hour to reach Farmgate from Kawla.
About 80,000 vehicles will be able to pass through the Dhaka Elevated Expressway every day, project officials say.
Read : Metro Rail and Padma Bridge prove AL believes in deeds, not words: Quader
As per project details, the first contract was signed on January 19, 2011 and the reviewed agreement was signed on December 15, 2013, and the project completion period was from July 2011 to June 2024.
The total length of the elevated expressway is 46.73 km including 19.73 km of the main elevated part.
The Dhaka Elevated Expressway will cover Kawla, Kuril, Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Moghbazar, Kamalapur, Sayedabad, Jatrabari to Qutubkhali on Dhaka-Chattogram highway.
Vehicles plying on Dhaka Elevated Expressway will have to pay tolls, which will be collected in four categories.
Read : PM to inaugurate Agargaon-Motijheel section of Dhaka Metro Rail on Oct 20
Int'l groups urge Bangladesh govt to drop DSA cases against journalists
In a collective plea for press freedom and human rights, 19 international organisations have urged the administration of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to halt cases initiated under the Digital Security Act (DSA) against journalist Adhora Yeasmean.
This urgent appeal follows an investigation into Yeasmean's video report for a private TV channel RTV on alleged activities of the religious organization Rajarbagh Darbar Sharif, which led to accusations against her under the DSA.
Read : Cabinet approves Cyber Security Act to replace controversial DSA
The coalition of organizations has also expressed alarm over reports of harassment targeted at Yeasmean by members of Rajarbagh Darbar Sharif. They allege that since mid-July, she has been subjected to unauthorized surveillance, threats, and intimidation. These actions are believed to be retaliatory against her investigative journalism. The coalition insists that authorities swiftly investigate these threats, hold the culprits accountable, and ensure the journalist's safety and psychological well-being.
The coalition also calls for Bangladesh to terminate the DSA investigation into Akramul Ahsan Kanchan, a co-accused in Yeasmean's report. Kanchan claimed that Shakerul Kabir, the leader of Rajarbagh Darbar Sharif, acquired local properties deceptively. The coalition views this legal backlash against journalistic sources as a threat to press freedom.
Read : DSA amended to prevent misuse of law: Quader
Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media (BJIM), a platform of Bangladeshi journalists covering the country for various global media outlets, also endorsed the letter and urged authorities to drop any investigation into Adhora Yeasmin.
“Press freedom is vital for a thriving democracy, allowing voices to be heard and truths to be revealed,” stated BJIM spokesperson Redwan Ahmed. “We urge Bangladeshi authorities to cease using the criminal justice system to harass or intimidate journalists and to drop charges against Adhora Yeasmin for her journalistic work.”
Amid the January 2024 election, the groups stress free journalism without fear, noting the DSA's repeal but cautioning against the new Cyber Security Act's threats to expression. The coalition also calls for involving stakeholders to shape rights-respecting legislation, underscoring the need to drop charges against expression and release detainees under the DSA.
Read : No journalists will be harassed by Cyber Security Act: Law Minister
Organisations who have signed the letter are Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19 South Asia, Asian Human Rights Commission, Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media, Capital Punishment Justice Project, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ), Committee to Protect Journalists, Forum for Freedom of Expression, Bangladesh, Free Press Unlimited, IFEX, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), International Women’s Media Foundation, PEN America, PEN Bangladesh, PEN International, Reporters Without Borders, and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.
PM Hasina’s participation at G20 Summit to add yet another feather to ‘Golden Chapter’ in Dhaka-Delhi ties: Momen
- Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s participation at the G20 Summit in New Delhi will add yet another feather to the ‘Golden Chapter’ in Dhaka-Delhi ties.
"We look forward to working together with G20 partners to find multi-dimensional solutions to the multiple crises plaguing our world," he said.
The Foreign Minister was speaking as the chief guest at the opening session of a discussion titled “G20 Summit: Dhaka to New Delhi”, at Foreign Service Academy.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin, who is discharging his responsibilities as the Bangladesh Sherpa for G20, and President of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry and G20 Employer Advocate Selima Ahmad, MP spoke at the opening session.
The recognition by G20 — under the Indian Presidency — that the status quo is no longer sustainable for multilateralism to function is a major turn-around, Momen said.
The Foreign Minister hoped that Bangladesh can make visible and meaningful contributions to the G20 processes through multi-stakeholder participation.
The Prime Minister has been invited to the Summit to be held in New Delhi on September 9-10, and she guided the nature and level of engagements with the different G20 processes.
“We thank them as they have honored us. We are among the nine countries which are invited. We feel very honored,” Foreign Minister Momen told reporters at a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Read more: Bangladesh's prosperity under Sheikh Hasina's leadership highly commendable: US Congressman Robert Pittenger
Some big global powers want in Bangladesh a govt loyal to them: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday (August 30, 2023) said some major powers of the world want to establish a loyal government in Bangladesh because of importance in its geographical location.
“Actually, due to the geographical location of Bangladesh, some big countries want that there will be a government here (in Bangladesh)which will just lick their feet,” she said.
The premier said this while addressing a discussion on the occasion of National Mourning Day.
Read more: PM Hasina’s participation at G20 Summit to add yet another feather to the ‘Golden Chapter’ in Dhaka-Delhi ties: Momen
Dhaka City Awami League North and South units organised the discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Center.
She alleged that big countries always have their big brotherly attitude.
“If they become friends of anyone then there is no need for any enemy,” she said without mentioning any country’s name.
In this connection she said that Ukraine has been their friend.
“What is the condition of Ukraine today. Women and children there are facing untold miseries. Their country has been demolished for this kind of friendship. That is the reality,” she said.
Hasina, also the president of ruling Awami League, came down on these countries for their unnecessary nose poking in the country’s election.
“There are some countries which are searching democracy all the time,” she said.
In this regard, she said that Awami League always struggled for establishing democracy and voting rights of the people in the country.
Read: Some foreign powers are taking interest in Bangladesh's election to hinder progress: PM Hasina
“Leaders and activists of this party gave their blood to establish democracy. And now, we have to listen from some countries which are searching for democracy and rights for casting votes,” she said.
The PM said that people of the country laid their lives and gave blood to attain independence under the leadership of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“This sacrifice and blood must not go in vain, we will not allow that,” she said.
Talking about BNP’s demand for democracy, sheikh Hasina said she gets surprised when she hears them talking about the democracy.
She said BNP was born through killings, coup and conspiracy, established by the illegal power grabber and its journey began through snatching away people's right for voting and the vote rigging. "So the word democracy does not go with them,” she said.
She also alleged that BNP has some masters who "are saying that democracy has to be established in Bangladesh".
She questioned where were they while Ziaur Rahman ( BNP founder) killed the father of the nation, imposed martial law and grabbed the state power. And when HM Ershad grabbed the power by proclaiming martial law.
Read: Foreign powers can be friends but can’t bring election win: Quader
“At that time we struggled and fought to establish democracy, but did not saw them,” she said.
South and North City Corporation Mayors Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Atiqul Islam, addressed the function.Dhaka North City Awami League President AKM Bazlur Rahman presided over the discussion while Dhaka South City AL President Abu Ahammed Monnafi spoke at the discussion while its General Secretary Humayun Kabir conducted it.
Dhaka North City AL Vice Presidents, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Sadek Khan,MP, and Abdul Kader Khan, Joint General Secretary Motiur Rahman Moti, Organising Secretaries AKM Mazhar Anam and Md Azizul Haque Rana, Family Affairs Secretary Meherunnesa Mery and Dhaka South City Awami League Vice Presidents, Dr Dilip Kumar Roy, Mizbaur Rahman Bhuiyan Ratan and Sajeda Begum, Joint General Secretary Qazi Morshed Kamal, Organising Secretaries Akhter Hossain and Golam Sarwar Kabir, among others, also spoke at the discussion.
At the outset of the meeting, one minute silence was observed to show respect to the martyrs of the August 15, 1975 carnage and August 21,2004 grenade attack.
Read more: No concern among US businessmen about upcoming elections: Salman F Rahman
Bangladesh has an independent judicial process: Shahriar Alam on letter in favour of Prof Yunus
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Tuesday said Bangladesh has an independent judicial process and the court will take decisions based on evidence regarding Prof Muhammad Yunus.
“They can observe the proceedings. We welcome that surely,” he told reporters regarding those who wrote a letter in favour of the Nobel laureate.
The state minister wanted to know whether there is any instance in the world where allegations against a person cannot be investigated.
Together for Yunus: World leaders past and present joined by Nobel laureates, popstars and tycoons in letter to PM
“What I want to say is that there has been no influence of the government in the past, and there will be no such influence in the future either. Bangladesh’s judiciary is independent and the independent judiciary will take decisions based on evidence," said the state minister.
“They must have the guts and courage to accept the verdict,” he added, describing the development as “frustrating.”
The state minister for foreign affairs also said that calling for the suspension of court proceedings is “unheard of”.
“I do not think those who are joining in this call in favour of Prof Yunus are doing proper justice to their own reputation,” he said.
Obama writes letter of support as pressure mounts on Dr Yunus
The state minister also said that the government does not want to make any comment on an issue related to court proceedings.
More than 160 global leaders, including over 100 Nobel laureates, wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, expressing their deep concern about the safety and wellbeing of Prof Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s first and so far, only Nobel laureate.
Addressed directly to the PM, the letter is signed by Nobel laureates, elected officials, business figures, and civil society leaders. The signatories applauded Bangladesh’s remarkable progress since its independence in 1971. However, their collective concern arose from the “perceived threats to democracy and human rights” that have recently emerged within the country.
Petition dismissed, Appellate Division orders to continue labour law violation case against Dr Yunus, 3 others
"We respectfully ask that you immediately suspend the current judicial proceedings against Prof Yunus, followed by a review of the charges by a panel of impartial judges drawn from within your nation, with some role for internationally recognised legal experts. We are confident that any thorough review of the anti-corruption and labour law cases against him will result in his acquittal,” the letter addressed to PM Hasina reads.
Together for Yunus: World leaders past and present joined by Nobel laureates, popstars and tycoons in letter to PM
More than 160 global leaders, including over 100 Nobel Laureates, have written an open letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing their deep concern about the safety and well-being of Prof. Muhammad Yunus – Bangladesh's first and only Nobel Laureate.
Addressed directly to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the letter is signed by Nobel Prize laureates, elected officials, business figures, and civil society leaders. The signatories applaud Bangladesh's remarkable progress since its independence in 1971.
However, their collective concern arises from the “perceived threats to democracy and human rights” that have recently emerged within the country.
Also read: Obama writes letter of support as pressure mounts on Dr Yunus
“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,” the letter signed by, among others, Barack Obama, Jose Ramos-Horta, Mary Robinson, Mairead Corrigan-Maguire, Shirin Ebadi, Denis Mukwege, Nadia Murad, Maria Ressa, Oscar Arias Sanchez, Juan Manuel Santos, Ban Ki-moon, Laura Boldrini, Bono, and Sir Richard Branson, reads.
In the letter, the signatories called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to conduct the upcoming national election in a free, transparent and fair manner.
“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,” it says.
Also read: Petition dismissed, Appellate Division orders to continue labour law violation case against Dr Yunus, 3 others
Calling the legal proceedings against Dr Mohammad Yunus “judicial harassment”, the signatories called for an immediate suspension of the current judicial proceedings against him.
“One of the threats to human rights that concern 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, the letter reads.
“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.”
Also read: Labour law violation case: SC orders disposal of rule on charge framing against Dr Yunus within two weeks
This latest letter was a follow up to an earlier letter sent in March.
It further adds: “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.”
On September 9, 2021, Labour Inspector (general) SM Arifuzzaman of the Inspection for Factories and Establishments Department filed a labour law violation case against four people, including Prof Yunus, with the 3rd Labour Court of Dhaka.
Also read: HC issues rule on why charge framing against Yunus, 3 others should not be scrapped
According to case documents in the public domain, the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) visited Grameen Telecom and uncovered various violations of the labour law.
They said 101 workers were supposed to be made permanent, but were not. Workers' and welfare funds were not constituted. Additionally, 5% of the dividends of Grameen Telecom was supposed to accrue to the workers, but that didn't happen, the case filed by the DIFE in September 2021 alleged.
Obama over the weekend also wrote to Yunus separately, as a sole signatory, expressing his hope that the 'Banker to the Poor' can continue to do his 'important work'.
Meanwhile, 34 eminent citizens of the country in a statement published on Sunday, called upon the government to stop all sorts of harassment against Dr Yunus.
Also read: Appellate Division orders Dr Yunus to pay NBR Tk 12 crore tax on donations
The letter notes his lawyers' contention that the allegations brought in the case are civil in nature, yet the government has pursued a criminal case.
Prof Yunus is one of only seven people to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, the US Congressional Gold Medal, and the US Presidential Medal of Freedom.