A Dhaka court has sentenced Grameen Telecom Chairman Muhammad Yunus and three other executives of the company to six months in jail over labour law violations.

Judge Sheikh Marina Sultana of the Dhaka Third Labour Court delivered the verdict in the case on Monday.

The three other suspects in the case are Grameen Telecom Managing Director Ashraful Hasan and directors Nurjahan Begum and Md Shahjahan.

The court also fined them Tk 5,000 on one charge and Tk 25,000 on another charge. A failure to pay the first fine will be punished by 10 days in jail, while a failure to pay the second will result in another 15 days in jail.

In the 84-page verdict, the judge found the charges against the accused were proven. However, the four convicts in the case were granted bail for one month on condition of appeal and will not need to go to prison immediately.

Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun, representing the defence, said in his immediate reaction to the verdict that they had not received justice and will challenge the decision with a higher court.

On Sept 9, 2021, Yunus and three others were named in a case filed against Grameen Communications with a labour court by Labour Inspector Arifuzzaman of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.

They were accused of failing to provide employees with appointment letters, get work schedules approved by the authorities, and submit annual and half-yearly returns.

The court concluded the hearing of the arguments from both sides on Dec 24. It then set Jan 1 for the verdict.