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Bangladesh's former Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Mohammad A Arafat, has claimed that Bangladesh's economy may be tanking, hundreds of thousands may have lost their livelihoods, inflation may be out of control but Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, and his confidants have had a very "prosperous seven and a half months."
Citing a report by the Bangladesh based TBS News, Awami League leader Arafat said that Grameen Kalyan was relieved from USD 54.8 million in taxes. According to him, the high court on October 3 withdrew its own earlier ruling dated August 4, which ordered "Grameen Kalyan" to pay the National Board of Revenue (NBR) approximately USD 54.8 million in unpaid taxes from 2012 to 2017. Citing the report, he claimed that the National Board of Revenue (NBR) provided Grameen Bank tax exempt status for five years until 2029, which includes income of all types, like rental income from properties and vehicles, bank interests, and other earnings. Arafat said that interim government prepared a draft ordinance which aims to reduce the government's shares in the bank from 25 per cent to 5 per cent and reducing govt-appointed directors from 3 to 1. Citing a report by Bangladesh based New Age, Arafat said the interim government had said that the decision was taken to increase independence. However, analysts believe the real reason for divesting the govt's stakes in the bank is to bolster the control of the Yunus loyalists in the bank's management. Citing a report by Bangladesh-based new outlet RisingBd, he also recalled how the Labour Appellate Tribunal on August 6 reversed the decision of a Dhaka Labour Court which, on January 1, 2024, convicted and sentenced Yunus and three top officials of Grameen Telecom to six months' imprisonment for multiple labour law violations. Citing a report in Bangladesh based newspaper The Daily Star, Arafat also mentioned that the High Court quashed the proceedings of five cases against Yunus in October last year pending with the Labour Court for dismissal of employees of Grameen Telecom. He also claimed that the High Court dismissed a case registered in 2011 against Yunus and Grameen Shakti for adulteration in yoghurt products. He cited information published in Daily Sun for making the claim. In a statement shared on X, Arafat said, "On 20 March 2025, it was announced that Grameen Employment Services (owned by the Yunus Center and Grameen Education) has received the lucrative overseas employment business license. This is the only license granted since the Yunus Regime came to power. Previously, on 28 January, 2025, Samadhan Services Limited, a concern of Grameen Telecom, received the sought-after approval for becoming a payment service ("digital wallet") provider, again the only such approval given in the last seven and a half months." He cited information published in Bangladesh based news outlets Kalbela and ObserverBD and alleged that long-term Grammen loyalist Nurjahan Begum was appointed Health and Family Welfare Adviser in the Yunus-led Interim government. Similarly, he said that another long-term Yunus associate, Lamiya Morshed, with a background in Grameen Trust, Yunus Centre, and Grameen Healthcare, was appointed the principal coordinator for SDGs at the Chief Adviser's Office (a very high-ranking policy position). He further alleged that Yunus' nephew, Apurba Jahangir, who has no background in media or public relations, has been appointed deputy press secretary to the chief adviser. He mentioned that these are the progress made by Yunus, his cronies, and his Grameen concerns in the past seven and a half months since assuming the role of the Chief Advisor. (ANI)
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