<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>The United Nations has said Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus is a friend of the UN and he has been critical to the development work they do today.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Professor Yunus is a dear friend of the United Nations throughout his career,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, told reporters in a regular briefing in New York on February 28.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the UN country team in Bangladesh continues to follow Prof Yunus’ case very closely.</div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud recently reiterated that the trial regarding the case against Yunus is underway very transparently.</div><div><br></div><div>"Bangladesh's judiciary is very transparent. Trial against Prof Yunus is going on in a very transparent way," he said, adding that securing bail is the evidence that the trial is underway very transparently, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>Hasan said the aggrieved people of Yunus' organisation filed the cases, and the government is not a party to that.</div><div><br></div><div>Responding to a question, the UN spokesperson said they have been very consistent, and they continue to call for the release of all those who may have been detained for “merely expressing themselves peacefully”.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>