Online Desk: The High Court on Monday ruled that Grameen Telecom Chairman and Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus and three other Telecom officials, who are accused in a labour law violation case, will not be able to leave the country without prior approval from the Labour Appeal Tribunal

A High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadoth Hossain passed the order on Monday.

The court also issued a rule seeking as explanation as to why the tribunal’s order that stayed the conviction and sentence of Yunus and the three officials should not be scrapped.

On Sunday (February 4), the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) has filed a petition with the High Court challenging the Labour Appellate Tribunal’s order staying the sentence and granting bail to Yunus.

Besides, the petition also sought a bar on Dr Yunus from going abroad without the court’s permission.

On January 28, the Labour Appellate Tribunal granted bail to Dr Yunus and three other top officials of Grameen Telecom in the labour law violation case following separate appeals filed by them.

The other three accused are – Grameen Telecom’s Director (former managing director) Md Ashraful Hassan, and members of the Board of Directors Nurjahan Begum and Md Shahjahan.

On January 1, Dhaka Labour Court-3 sentenced Grameen Telecom Chairman Dr Yunus and three of its senior officials to six months in jail and fined Tk 30,000 each, in the case filed by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.

On September 9, 2021, Inspector Arifuzzaman from the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments filed the case with the labour court.

The court on June 6, 2023, framed charges against Yunus and three others in the case.