Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday issued a status quo on the subject matter of a High Court verdict that declared illegal a Labour Appellate Tribunal’s award saying 106 sacked and retired employees of the Grameen Kalyan (GL), an organisation owned by Nobel laureate Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, are entitled to get 5 per cent of the company’s net profit.
Justice M Enayetur Rahim, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division of the SC, passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the 106 former employees against the High Court verdict.
The judge also sent the matter to the regular Appellate
Division bench for detail hearing on February 5 in 2024.
Earlier on November 30, the High Court declared illegal the Labour Appellate Tribunal’s award that opined 106 sacked and retired employees of the Grameen Kalyan are entitled to get 5 per cent of the company’s net profit.
The High Court Bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman delivered the verdict after hearing a rule, issued earlier, questioning the Labour Appellate Tribunal’s award.
The 106 former employees of Grameen Kalyan filed a case with the Labour Appellate Tribunal under section 231 of the Labour Act to get the share of the company’s net profit for the period of 2006 to 2012, from Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) and Workers Profit Participation Fund (WPPF). The tribunal gave its decision on April 3 this year on their favour.
Challenging the legality of the tribunal’s decision Grameen Kalyan authorities filed a writ petition with the High Court. Following the writ petition the HC on May 31 issued a rule questioning the legality of the tribunal’s award and a status quo on the award for six months.
Following a petition, the Appellate Division on July 10 ordered the High Court to dispose of the rule issued in this regard within two months. After final hearing on the rule the HC on November 30 declared the tribunal’s award as illegal.
Later, a petition was filed with the Appellate Division on behalf of the 106 employees against the High Court verdict. Upon hearing the petition, the Chamber Judge issued status quo on the subject matter of the case.
Barrister Adbullah Al Mamun and Barrister Khaja Tanvir Ahmed appeared in the court proceedings on behalf of the Grameen Kalyan, while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan represented the 106 employees.
