INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
politically motivated.The 83-year-old, credited with lifting millions out of poverty with his microfinance bank, Grameen, has earned the
become increasingly firm in its crackdown on political dissent
She has made several scathing verbal attacks against Yunus, who won the peace prize in 2006 and was once seen as a political rival.Sheikh
All four were immediately granted bail pending appeals.Sultana said in her verdict that 67 Grameen Telecom employees were supposed to have
an array of other charges involving alleged corruption and fund embezzlement, came as Bangladesh prepares for a general election on 7
early pioneers of micro-finance banking after returning to Bangladesh in the 1970s after studying in the US.His research into the mechanisms
of poverty in Bangladesh among the landless led him to conclude that a system of small loans to those without collateral via lending clubs
could allow them to set up their businesses.Yunus is facing more than 100 other charges over alleged labour law violations and alleged graft
He told reporters after one of the hearings last month that he had not profited from any of the more than 50 social business firms he had
plans to contest elections a few months later, citing a lack of support for his new political movement
figures, including the former US president Barack Obama and ex-UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, published a joint letter denouncing
The signatories, including more than 100 of his fellow Nobel laureates, said they feared for his safety and freedom.Critics accuse
had come under scrutiny more than a decade ago after a documentary in 2010 that alleged that misuse of Norwegian funds
Yunus was fired as managing director for allegedly violating government retirement regulations
He was put on trial in 2013 on charges of receiving money without government permission, including his Nobel prize award and royalties from
a book.Associated Press and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
This article first appeared/also appeared in theguardian.com
