Last week, the so-called “Anti-Corruption Commission” of the Bangladesh government sent a letter to Grameen Telecom demanding mountains of information from the organization, its leaders, and 42 other Grameen and Yunus-affiliated entities. All of it is due today, September 29.
As has happened many times during the attacks on Professor Yunus and Grameen over the last 12 years – though never on this scale – hundreds of hours of time will need to be spent by professionals who were hired to fight poverty to do something very different: to supply a government (one that should be supporting and applauding them) with information that will then be examined for anything that might be in any way embarrassing for Professor Yunus and the people and organizations that have rallied to his vision of a world free from poverty.
This harassment of one of the great moral leaders of our time must stop. For it to stop, the international media and diplomats from G-20 countries need to start paying more attention to this unfolding farce and tragedy. British journalist David Bergman recently wrote about this latest development in the context of Bangladesh’s human rights record in recent years.
The English translation of the letter appears below:
***
Anti-Corruption Commission
Head Office
1, Segunbagicha, Dhaka
[As per Anti-Corruption Commission Law, 2004 & Anti-Corruption Commission Rules, 2007]
Ref. No. 00.01.0000.502.01.026.22.35313 Date: 22/09/2022
To:
Chairman / Managing Director & CEO
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Bank Bhaban, Mirpur-2, Dhaka-1216
Subject: Supply of records / information for investigation of complaints.
Ref: Anti-Corruption Commission, Head Office, Dhaka file No – 00.01.0000.502.01.026.22.
In reference to the aforementioned subject and reference we would like to inform that a three members investigation committee has been formed comprising Md. Gulshan Anowar Pradhan, Deputy Director (Team Leader), Jesmin Akter, Assistant Director and Mohammad Nur Alam Siddiqui, Assistant Director to investigate into the following complaints and submit the report.
Brief description of complaints:
Misappropriation of 5% dividend by various irregularities by the board of directors of Grameen Telecom that was reserved for distribution among labourers / employees, unlawful deduction of 6% of money in the name of lawyer fees and other fees while paying employees’ dues of BDT 364,17,09,146/-, misappropriation by not distributing of allocated BDT 45,52,13,643/- including interest for their welfare fund, and transfer of BDT 2,977 Crore (Two Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy-Seven Crore) to bank accounts of other sister concerns through money laundering.
For proper investigation of the aforementioned complaints collection and review of the following records are necessary.
Therefore, you are kindly requested to cooperate in the investigation work by instructing the concerned officer to send attested copies of the demanded information/records to the undersigned by 22/09/2022.
Description of demanded records:
1. Names and copies of trade license/income tax/VAT/Directorate of Cooperatives permission/ Bangladesh Bank permission/copy of license as joint stock company of Grameen Kalyan or its associated 54 organizations from date of formation of these organizations in a format. Identity of MDs of these organizations, officer and staff list, salary statement of all staff including MD, where salary money come from-related bank statement, activities of the organizations, sources of their funds, statement of FDR money if any, where and how the interest money is spent – audit report with money trail.
2. Copies of 24 deeds of purchase of all lands of Grameen Kalyan or its associated organizations.
3. Registration No. of Grameen Telecom Trust, attested copy of approval letter from Bangladesh Bank.
4. List of all 128 businesses of Dr. Muhammad Yunus in the name of social business owned by Grameen Kalyan or its associated organizations, amount of money invested in these businesses, from which institutions the money came from, where the money has gone to – records with money trail. If Grameen Kalyan or any of its associated organization under Dr. Muhammad Yunus has license for microcredit activities – specific information with attested copies.
5. Where and how the interest money from Grameen Kalyan’s FDRs is invested – records with money trail.
6. If Grameen Telecom or its associated organizations have received any donation / fund from any foreign organization – detailed information. If Grameen Kalyan received any foreign donation from ILO, Caledonian Nursing College – if received then in what process and amount of donation and where the money is invested – information based on records and money trail.
7. Detailed information of who donated the “Haque Blue Hospital” in Patuakhali Sadar and to whom. If purchased then in whose name was it purchased and in what way the money was paid, which organization or person paid the money – records with money trail.
8. Grameen Telecom shows a profit of BDT 237 crore from selling a piece of land, what was the purchase price of the land in the joint venture, photocopy of the deed, and what was the selling price – photocopy of the deed. Where and how the money from selling the land is kept.
9. Audit reports of Grameen Kalyan Trust from the beginning until 2022. List of organizations from whom money has been received as donation, loan or in any other form and how much has been received. Information of how much money it has paid and to which organizations as donation, loan or in any other form. Information of investment in land or in any other form is to be given.
10. Amount of total money spent in the construction of the Grameen Telecom Bhaban, who supplied the money or where the organization got the money from. How much space Grameen Telecom purchased in it and the amount of money paid – with money trail of repayment. Detailed explanation of why Grameen Telecom had to purchase the space since the building is owned by itself. Information of where and how the payment is invested in. Likewise, list of Grameen family companies who purchased spaces in Grameen Telecom Bhaban and how much each of them paid for it.
11. Grameen Telecom is a non-profit organization, and hence if it can take loan from some other organization against interest or give loan to someone. Why the organization, since it has so much money of its own, had to take loan on interest from different bank – explanation along with amount of loans and interest paid to each of the banks in a format.
12. Amount of income tax on source from dividend paid to Grameen Kalyan by Grameen Telecom from 2002 to 2015 in a format. Record of whether the tax is paid. Information of whether WPPF of Grameen Telecom workers have been paid as per Labour Laws from 2006 to 2013, how much money was due to the workers for it during the time – detailed accounts to be given in a format.
13. Why Grameen Telecom’s shares with different organizations were given to Grameen Telecom Trust – report with explanation, BDT 14.42 Crore repaid to Grameen Telecom against purchase of shares with 4 organizations were donated to Grameen Telecom Trust a few days later – report with explanation of why.
14. Operating expenses of Grameen Telecom from 2015 to June 2022 – worker salary statement (record-based), consultancy costs, telephone and travel expenses, Covid expenses are to be given in a format. (Record-based).
15. Names of the 43 institutions in the attached list, their trade license / income tax certificate/ Directorate of Cooperatives / Bangladesh Bank permission / copy of license as joint stock company / date of formation of the organization are to be supplied in a format. Identity of MDs of these companies, officer and staff list, salary statement of all staff including MD, where salary money come from – relevant bank statement, activities of the organizations, sources of their funds, statement of FDR money if any, where and how the interest money is spent – audit report with money trail. If the company has purchased any land or has any other investment – the information is also to be furnished and description necessary records.
Signature:
Md. Gulshan Anowar Pradhan
Deputy Director
&
Leader of Investigation Team
Date: 22/09/2022
Ref No. 00.01.0000.502.01.026.22
Copy sent for kind information:
1. Director General (Special Investigation), Anti-Corruption Commission, Head Office, Dhaka
2. Director (Special Inquiry & Investigation 21) and supervising officer of investigation file, Anti-Corruption Commission, Head Office, Dhaka
3. Office copy
Md. Gulshan Anowar Pradhan, Deputy Director