The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) wants to interrogate Grameen Telecom founder and Nobel Peace Prize winning economist Dr Muhammad Yunus to complete the investigation into the allegations against the telecom as soon as possible.
Anti-Corruption Commission Commissioner (Investigation) Dr Md Mozammel Haque Khan made the statement on Sunday.
He said: “No investigating officer has informed us about the progress of the investigation so far. That is, no report has been filed yet. The report we will get after the investigation will be reviewed by the commission.”
“Depending on the report, we will decide the next step,” he added.
The commissioner said: “The investigating officer is looking into these matters. The people who need to be interviewed and talked to are being called up in phases.”
On August 22, 2022, the ACC summoned four individuals, including the managing director of Grameen Telecom regarding the involvement of Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus in the embezzlement of Tk3,000 crores from Grameen Telecom.
Previously, the anti-graft watchdog sought the information of all bank accounts of Dr Yunus and Grameen Telecom for misappropriating its employees' welfare fund and embezzling Tk3,000 crore to various affiliate organizations.
On August 1, ACC formed a three-member panel to investigate the four members of the board of directors of Grameen Telecom over the allegations.
The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment wrote to the ACC, asking it to investigate the allegations of misappropriation of employees' money. The complaint says that most of the transactions of Grameen Telecom since 1996 are suspicious.
Moreover, on an inspection visit to Grameen Telecom, the department found that 101 workers and staffers who were supposed to have been made permanent staff had not been made so.
No participation fund and welfare fund were formed for them and 5% of the company's profits were not distributed to the workers in line with the law.
In light of the complaint, a case was filed under Sections 4, 7, 8, 117 and 234 of the Labour Act.
