Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus accused of embezzlement

A court in Bangladesh has rejected a request to drop charges against 14 people, including Muhammad Yunus.

The court, which decided to accept the indictment, accuses the 14 individuals of embezzling approximately 2 million dollars from the workers' welfare fund of Grameen Telecom, which is headed by Yunus, and of money laundering.

The trials for the 14 individuals in question will begin on July 15.

CHARGES AGAINST MUHAMMAD YUNUS

Yunus, who founded "Grameen Bank" in 1983 to provide credit to small entrepreneurs who could not obtain loans from banks, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his efforts toward social and economic development.

A series of investigations were launched into Yunus in 2008, and he was removed from his position as bank manager in 2011 on the grounds that he violated government retirement regulations following an investigation into Grameen Bank's operations.

Accused in 2013 of evading taxes on royalties, conference fees, and awards he received from abroad, Yunus also faced numerous charges related to the companies he founded, named "Grameen Telecom" and "Grameen Phone".

Yunus, who appeared before the Labor Court on August 22, 2023, on charges of violating labor laws, was sentenced to 6 months in prison in January.

On February 6, the High Court also banned Yunus and 3 of his colleagues from traveling abroad without court permission and ordered Yunus to pay 4.5 million dollars in tax debt.

News Source: AA