A group of Bangladeshi Americans have encouraged the US senators not to take the side of Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, and instead support employees ‘deprived of their legal and financial rights’.
Referring to a letter 12 senators wrote to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, they have urged the US senators to research the subject and respect the Prime Minister’s Office. The Congress of Bangladeshi Americans came up with the call in a counter-letter written to Cory Booker, US senator from New Jersey, on 25 January.
Dr Yunus has been charged with violating labour laws, not providing a 5% dividend to Grameen Telecom workers, not regularising 101 staff members, and not compensating workers for public holidays, the letter reads. Dr Yunus has refuted the charges as ‘politically motivated’. The government of Bangladesh has invited international experts and lawyers to assess the legal proceedings and examine documents involving the charges against Dr Yunus.

The Bangladeshi Americans emphasised that Dr Yunus’ identity as an internationally acclaimed Nobel laureate should not exempt him from the labour law violation case, nor should his relationship with influential Western leaders and his ‘appointed lobbying companies’ influence the merit of the court verdict.
“We hope our leaders and lawmakers will refrain from using their private relationships to hinder the amicable relationship between the two friendly nations,” said the Bangladeshi Americans.