Grameen Telecom Settlement: 6 bank accounts of employees’ lawyer frozen

Advocate Md Yousuf Ali, the counsel for terminated workers of Grameen Telecom, has said six of his bank accounts have been frozen by Bangladesh Bank.

He confirmed the freezing of his accounts to the journalists at the Supreme Court premises on Sunday.

Advocate Md Yousuf Ali said “Bangladesh Bank most probably froze my accounts on Thursday. My Chamber’s account is with the Gulshan-1 Branch of Bank Asia. I have come to know about the freezing from the bank today (Sunday).”

Replying to a query, he said “The HC apprehends that I have taken bribe from Grameen Telecom to facilitate a settlement. I did not take any bribe. The terminated workers received a huge amount of money from the company and they surrendered a certain portion of the money as my fees.”

It is learnt that the lawyer has earned Tk 120 million by intermediating the case filed by terminated employees of Grameen Telecom against the company.

During a hearing on June 30, the High Court asked the lawyer about the fees and the counsel technically avoided the issue.

In November 2021, 176 terminated workers filed a petition with the High Court seeking liquidation of Grameen Telecom for non-payment of their dues worth Tk 4.37 billion.  

On April 4 this year, the HC accepted the petition. Suddenly, on May 23, the petitioners filed another application to withdraw the liquidation petition on the ground of conciliation with the company authorities. The court accepted the withdrawal petition.

At this stage, the HC bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarker asked for contract papers and payment documents.

The court apprehended that employees might have been forced to compromise with the help of their lawyer. The court doubted underhand dealings.

Surprised at the huge fee charged by the lawyer, the HC said it will not allow anybody to abuse the process of law in committing irregularities.

The HC asked the lawyer to show documents of his fees and the compensation terminated workers obtained from the company by August 2.