Dhaka, Bangladesh
Reuters
A court in Bangladesh on Monday sentenced Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to six months in prison for labour law violations, prosecutors said, for what he said was a crime he did not commit.
Yunus, 83, and his Grameen Bank won the 2006 peace prize for their work to lift millions out of poverty by granting tiny loans of under $US100 to the rural poor of Bangladesh, pioneering a global movement now known as microcredit.
Bangladeshi social entrepreneur, economist, Nobel laureate and civil society leader Muhammad Yunus arrives on the red carpet for the Charity Gala of the German Postcode Lottery under the theme 'Stand Up For Human Rights' in Duesseldorf, Germany on 24th May, 2023. PICTURE: Ina Fassbender/Pool via Reuters/File photo
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, however, accused him of "sucking blood from the poor". His supporters say the government is attempting to discredit him because he once considered setting up a political party to rival Hasina's Awami League.
Yunus, an economist, and three employees from Grameen Telecom, a company he founded, were convicted on Monday of failing to create a welfare fund for its employees.
"This verdict against me is contrary to all legal precedent and logic. I call for the Bangladeshi people to speak in one voice against injustice and in favour of democracy and human rights for each and every one of our citizens," he said in a statement after the verdict.
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