DHAKA: Bangladeshi Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus was indicted in a corruption case on Wednesday, the latest charges to proceed against the respected economist that supporters say are politically motivated.
Yunus, 83, is credited with lifting millions out of poverty with his pioneering microfinance bank but has earned the enmity of longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has accused him of “sucking blood” from the poor.
Hasina has made several scathing verbal attacks against the internationally esteemed 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, who was once seen as a prospective rival.
Wednesday´s indictment, brought by the national anti-corruption agency, accuses Yunus and 13 others of embezzling $2.1 million (252 million Bangladeshi taka) from Grameen Telecom, one of several firms he founded.
Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the case
Naveed Meher is accused of firing shots at PTI's long march passing through Wazirabad
Ministry of Defence representative informed court that Panjotha was not in custody of intelligence agencies
He added that monthly follow-up should be made to ensure speedy progress on the issue
I regretfully find myself unable to endorse the reasoning,” Justice Rizvi noted
Government also ruled out the possibility of tax exemption to banks on advance to-deposit ratio