GENEVA: The UN voiced alarm on Tuesday at the use of legal proceedings in Bangladesh to intimidate and harass rights advocates and civil society leaders, including Nobel laureate and micro-credit pioneer Muhammad Yunus.

“The legal harassment of civil society leaders, human rights defenders and other dissenting voices, is a worrying sign for civic and democratic space in Bangladesh,” UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.

“These cases also represent an important test for the independence of the judiciary in Bangladesh.”

National elections are due in Bangladesh by the end of January, but rights groups and foreign governments have long raised concerns over efforts by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government to silence criticism and stamp out political dissent.

Among others, Shamdasani pointed out that 83-year-old Yunus, who was awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his work promoting economic development, “has faced harassment and intimidation for almost a decade”. He is currently facing two trials — one for allegedly violating labour laws and the other for alleged corruption — that carry potential prison sentences, she pointed out.

Yunus, who is credited with lifting millions out of poverty with his pioneering micro-credit bank, will have the opportunity to defend himself in court.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2023