'What will I take with me to jail?'

After securing bail from the Labour Appellate Tribunal, Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus today turned the spotlight on the three other top Grameen Telecom officials who are also going through the legal processes in the labour law violations case.

While talking to reporters after leaving the court, Yunus brought the three top officials of Grameen Telecom -- Nurjahan Begum, Mohammad Shahjahan and Ashraful Hasan -- before them.

"I am one of the four accused. But no one is talking about the three other accused. One of them is Nurjahan Begum. She is in front of me."

The Grameen Bank started its journey from Jobra village holding her hands, he said, adding, "She joined as a volunteer."

"….But no one remembers it. She has to appear [before the court] today. And it makes us sad," he said.

Read more

Labour law violation: Yunus, 3 others get bail

"We brought her to the court today. And she comes every time. And the last time she came, she kept asking me -- 'What will I take with me to jail. What can I take? Can I take the prayer cloth? Can I take my medication?'

"Last time, she brought medicine with her. [She thought] Maybe we have to start [for jail] directly from the court. This is our misfortune that she, who gave her whole life for this, has to prepare for going to court and jail.

"Here is another one, Mr Shahjahan, with me. He has been with me since the inception of Grameen Bank. He is another accused. He can't walk. Can't move. He had to be brought up and down to and from the sixth floor. That is our punishment," Yunus said.

"Ashraf is the other one standing here. An accused in this case. Ashraf had just passed from Buet. We had taken him ... We needed an engineer, and you [Ashraf] came.

Before introducing his co-accused, Yunus said their dream was to eradicate poverty through Grameen Bank.

He expressed regret that those who were involved with the implementation of this dream were also made accused in the case.