Bangladesh’s Prime Minister has extended an invitation to foreign experts and lawyers to review the documents presented against Nobel Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. This offer comes in response to an open letter signed by over 160 “global leaders”, including more than 100 Nobel Laureates, urging the Prime Minister to halt ongoing judicial proceedings against Prof Yunus.
Sheikh Hasina, speaking at a media briefing, suggested that those who signed the letter send their experts and lawyers to scrutinize the evidence presented in court. She emphasized that if any injustice or inconsistency is found, the law will take its course, but if not, the country’s independent judiciary will proceed as warranted.
Sheikh Hasina made this invitation at a media briefing as more than 160 “global leaders” including more than 100 Nobel Laureates in an open letter to the Prime Minister asking her to suspend the current judicial proceedings against Prof Yunus immediately.
“I call upon those who have made this statement to send experts, lawyers and examine all the documents submitted against him (Prof Yunus) in the court to see whether there was any injustice or inconsistency. Otherwise our country has laws, courts, labor laws, labor courts and laws will take its own course”, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said they (the dignitaries) should send the experts and lawyers to go through all the documents of their client to see if there is any wrongful prosecution.
“If they send the experts and lawyers, many more things will get revealed, which still remain untouched. Many such things will come out”, she added.
The premier continued: “If the gentleman (Prof Yunus) has so much self-confidence that he didn’t commit any crime then he wouldn’t beg for a statement at international level”.
Sheikh Hasina said that the judiciary of Bangladesh is completely independent and moreover everything goes according to the law of land.
She said: “If someone doesn’t pay tax and embezzles the money of the workers, and in that circumstance if case is filed in the labor court on behalf of the workers, then do we have any ability to interfere and withdraw the case”.
“And we don’t even discuss about the ongoing cases in our country, because it is sub-judice”, she said, adding, “There is a statement and demand from outside (country) to withdraw the case. Do I have any rights here; you say, who gives me this power? The judiciary is completely independent here”.
She mentioned that regarding the labor law, Bangladesh has to listen lot at the international level, especially in the ILO.
Sheikh Hasina also referred to the country’s company law, which stated that five percent of the dividend must be spent to the welfare of the workers.
“If anyone doesn’t pay this dividend to the laborer and they file case in the court, and as the outcome of the case if they (laborer) are fired and then if they file a case again; is it the responsibility of ours”, she said.
“So, those who are sitting there giving statements should send experts, lawyers instead”, she said, adding, “Let them go through all the documents of their clients to see if there is any wrongdoing or wrongful prosecution”.
The prime minister reminded that they have nothing to do with the case, as it is the jurisdiction of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to recover the money if there is tax evasion. “And paying taxes is the responsibility of all citizens”.
“What is done with tax evaders in Europe, America or UK?” she posed a question.
Meanwhile, former Secretary of State, first lade and defeated presidential candidate of the Democratic Party (2016), Hillary Clinton has launched a massive propaganda effort in favor of Muhammad Yunus, her friend and one of the key donors of Clinton Foundation.
On August 29, 2023 Hillary Clinton in a post on her ‘X’ handle said: “Stand with me and more than 160 other global leaders to support great humanitarian and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus in his moment of need”. Thousands of people from the United States and the world have commented on this tweet.
Can someone ask – if Hillary Clinton or those 159 dignitaries will now send experts and lawyers to Bangladesh to check documents related to cases filed against Muhammad Yunus?
Meanwhile, a recent media report quoting a credible source said, Muhammad Yunus had telephonic conversation with BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman where the latter has signaled to offer the Nobel Prize laureate a “dignified position” in BNP once he can “succeed in unseating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from power”.
It is also learnt, Tarique Rahman and Muhammad Yunus have agreed to launch a massive media campaign against the Awami League. Yunus has already finalized a deal with a large PR agency in New York City, which will begin publishing reports and articles in mainstream newspapers in the United States as well as television channels from October this year. Through Bill and Hillary Clinton, Yunus also is contacting CNN and several leading journalists in the United States.
