Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus acquitted in graft case

Muhammad Yunus. Pic/AFP

Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus was acquitted on Sunday in a graft case brought by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). According to media reports, Yunus' acquittal came just three days after taking office. Judge Md Rabiul Alam of the Special Judge's Court-4 in Dhaka granted the ACC's request to withdraw the case against Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus under section 494 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Daily Star newspaper announced the judgement, citing an anti-graft official, reported PTI.

According to the report, on August 7, a Dhaka court acquitted Yunus and three top Grameen Telecom officials - Ashraful Hassan, M Shahjahan, and Nurjahan Begum - of a separate labour law infringement charge.

Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, an 84-year-old Nobel laureate and economist, was sworn in as the interim government's Chief Advisor on Thursday. Nurjahan Begum, who was also accused in the graft case, is now a member of Yunus' 16-member Council of Advisers, supporting him in handling state matters, the news agency report stated.

Yunus has long been at odds with the administration led by Sheikh Hasina, who launched a series of investigations against him after taking office in 2008. In 2011, Bangladeshi authorities investigated the actions of the Grameen Bank, which Yunus founded, and removed him as Managing Director, citing a violation of government retirement rules. Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus has faced various legal battles throughout Hasina's tenure, the report added.

Per the news agency report, Yunus was sentenced to six months in prison in January for violating work laws. Many believe Hasina was upset with Yunus because he announced plans to create a political party in 2007 when she was imprisoned and a military-backed administration was in power.

In related news, Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar and Suprodip Chakma were sworn in as members of Yunus' provisional government's Council of Advisers on Sunday. According to the state-run BSS news agency, President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the swearing ceremony, which took place at the Darbar Hall of the presidential palace in Bangabhaban. Chief Adviser Yunus also attended, stated another news agency report.

On Thursday, the majority of the 16-member Council of Advisers had already taken their oaths. Chakma, a former Ambassador and Chairman of the Chattogram Hill Tracts Development Board, and Dr. Poddar, a former Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, were unable to attend the previous ceremony since they were not in Dhaka. Another adviser, freedom fighter Farooq-e Azam, did not attend the ceremony on Thursday due to the same reason, the news agency report stated.

According to the report, Yunus was appointed chairman of the interim government after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India amid widespread protests over her administration's contentious job quota system. Yunus took his oath of office on Thursday.