REVERSAL OF FORTUNE

Nobel Laureate Muhammed Yunus Found Guilty for Bangladesh Labor Law Violation

Yunus’ supporters have accused the Bangladesh government of harassing the Nobel peace winner, while the country's prime minister says he's “sucking blood” from the poor.

Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus has been convicted of violating labor laws in Bangladesh after he and his microfinance bank, Grameen, were charged with embezzlement and corruption. The country’s prime minister, Sheik Hasina, accused Yunus of “sucking blood” from impoverished citizens, while the laureate’s supporters condemned the charges as politically motivated. Hasina’s administration has been increasingly vigilant in its repression of political dissent, and former Amnesty chief Irene Khan has called the charges “frivolous” and “a travesty of justice.” Amnesty International has accused the Bangladesh government of weaponizing labor laws for their gain, while fellow laureates and notable Yunus advocates like Barack Obama and ex-United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon maintain their support of the convicted Nobel winner. Yunus and three other Grameen employees were found guilty and sentenced to six months in jail, but immediately granted bail pending appeals. “I have been punished for a crime that I haven’t committed,” Yunus told reporters. “If you want to call it justice, you can.”