Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina invited foreign experts and lawyers to assess and scrutinize the documents submitted against Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus whether there was any injustice or inconsistency or wrong prosecution.
Otherwise, the law will take its own course, she added.
The premier made this invitation at a media briefing on Tuesday (August 29) as more than 160 global leaders including more than 100 Nobel Laureates in an open letter to the Prime Minister asking her to suspend the current judicial proceedings against Prof Yunus immediately.
She said: "I call upon those who have made this statement to send experts, lawyers and examine all the documents submitted against him (Prof Yunus) in the court to see whether there was any injustice or inconsistency. Otherwise our country has laws, courts, labor laws, labor courts and laws will take its own course."
The PM said they (the dignitaries) should send the experts and lawyers to go through all the documents of their client to see if there is any wrongful prosecution.
"If they send the experts and lawyers, many more things will get revealed, which still remain untouched. Many such things will come out," she added.
The premier continued: "If the gentleman (Prof Yunus) has so much self-confidence that he didn't commit any crime then he wouldn't beg for a statement at international level."
The media briefing was held on her recent visit to Johannesburg in South Africa from August 22-26 to attend the "BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue" of the 15th BRICS Summit.
The Prime Minister said that the judiciary of the country is completely independent and moreover everything here goes according to the law of land.
She said: "If someone doesn't pay tax and embezzles the money of the workers, and in that circumstance if case is filed in the labour court on behalf of the workers, then do we have any ability to interfere and withdraw the case."
"And we don't even discuss about the ongoing cases in our country, because it is sub-judice," she said, adding, "There is a statement and demand from outside (country) to withdraw the case. Do I have any rights here; you say, who gives me this power? The judiciary is completely independent here."
She mentioned that regarding the labour law, Bangladesh has to listen a lot at the international level, especially in the ILO.
Sheikh Hasina also referred to the country's company law, which stated that five percent of the dividend must be spent to the welfare of the workers.
"If anyone doesn't pay this dividend to the labourers and they file case in the court, and as the outcome of the case if they (labourers) are fired and then if they file a case again; is it the responsibility of ours," Sheikh Hasina added.
BDST: 0924 HRS, AUG 30, 2023
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