The High Court has stayed the proceedings of trial in a case filed in the Rangpur Labour Court against six people, including Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, on charges of violating labour laws.
A High Court bench formed by Justice Mostafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah issued this order on Tuesday, issuing a rule questioning the legitimacy of the case.
Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun stood for Dr Yunus in the court. He was accompanied by Barrister Khawaja Tanveer Ahmed. On the other hand, Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy and Assistant Attorney General Anis Ul Mawa represented the state.
Earlier, a writ petition was filed seeking the suspension of the trial in the case against Dr Muhammad Yunus, the founder and chairman of Grameen Krishi Foundation, and five others in the Rangpur Labour Court on charges of violating labour laws.
The case was filed in the Rangpur Labour Court in 2021 by Golam Mostafa, a retired senior farm manager of the Grameen Krishi Foundation.
The other defendants in the case are Nurjahan Begum, chairman of the management board of Grameen Krishi Foundation; Shamsud Doha, acting managing director; and board members Imamul Sultan, Ratan Kumar Nag, and Shahjahan.
The plaintiff's lawyer, Shamim Al Mamun, said the plaintiff filed the case against Dr Yunus and the other five defendants to claim compensation amounting to Tk975,125 for retirement gratuity and earned leave.
The plaintiff, Golam Mostafa, was employed as the farm manager at the Grameen Krishi Foundation unit office in Gobindaganj, Gaibandha. He alleges that during his tenure, the institution forced him into retirement without paying his retirement gratuity and cashing out his earned leave. Additionally, he accuses the institution of delaying the payment of his dues.
