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 Hearing on Yunus’ recall petition begins

The hearing on the recall petition filed by embroiled Nobel laureate Prof Yunus against the court verdict endorsing his removal from the Grameen Bank as its managing director resumed Tuesday.

A seven-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque, is holding the hearing that began at about 9:30am.

The apex court on April 5 had rejected the appeal petition against Dr Yunus’ removal as the bank’s chief executive. But, the same day, the micro-credit kingpin filed a ‘recall petition’ with the Supreme Court for lifting its earlier order that rejected his leave-to-appeal petition against the High Court verdict.

Dr Muhammad Yunus was removed from his position in GB on March 2 by a notice of the central bank. On March 3, Dr Yunus filed a writ petition against the decision of the central bank.

Nine directors of GB filed another writ petition with HC demanding rejection the of BB order.

On March 8, the HC passed its orders rejecting both the writ petitions.

hering on yunus plea adjourned/ Bangladesh

The Supreme Court has adjourned hearing on a petition of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus urging withdrawal of a previous order on his sacking as Grameen Bank managing director.

The full court of the Appellate Division, which simultaneously heard another petition filed by nine directors of the bank against the High Court order that backed Yunus removal, on Monday adjourned the hearing until Tuesday.

The court adjourned the hearing after Yunus' counsels Dr Kamal Hossain and Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud had argued for him.

Mahmudul Islam was in the midst of his argument when the court adjourned.

Yunus filed the petition on Apr 5 when the top court had confirmed the High Court ruling, virtually putting to rest a bitter battle between Yunus and the government.

The petition was filed in line with the Mar 29 instruction of a regular bench of the AD, led by chief justice A B M Khairul Haque, to seek permission for admissibility of the appeal for a freeze on the High Court order.

The court fixed Apr 4 the date for hearing and it was later moved to the following day.

Earlier on Mar 8, the High Court rejected Yunus's claim that his sudden sacking on Mar 2 by the central bank and financial sector regulator was arbitrary and illegal.

In its decision, the High Court had found that Yunus, 70, had no legal authority to act as the micro-lender's managing director, since its board had not obtained the Bangladesh Bank's sanction to re-appoint him beyond the bank's official retirement age of 60.

Yunus argued that Grameen Bank had been given special status and it was exempt from the rule.

He filed a petition against the order which the High Court had rejected. Later, on Mar 9, Yunus filed a petition seeking a stay on the High Court order.

The removal of Yunus drew flaks from home and abroad with the US warning that bilateral ties would be affected if an amicable resolution was not found.

Main opposition BNP also spoke against the decision, while his supporters said the firing was the culmination of a political vendetta against him.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has accused Yunus, who briefly set up his own political party in 2007 during the military-run caretaker government, of using 'tricks' to avoid taxes and 'sucking blood of the poor' with his bank's loans.

The United States warned last month that ties with Bangladesh could be affected if a solution was not found to the clash between the government and Yunus.