Bangladesh appeals court grants bail to Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus in labor case

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — An appeals court in Bangladesh has granted bail to Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who had been sentenced earlier to six months in prison for violating the country’s labor laws. Yunus, who pioneered the use of microcredit to help impoverished people, especially women, filed the appeal seeking bail on Sunday morning before his appeal was granted. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in 2006. Yunus’ supporters said the case is politically motivated, a charge that the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was elected for a fourth consecutive term earlier this month, has denied.