Yunus Centre: Allegations against Yunus incorrect

It also observes that same allegations keep on resurfacing without any reference to their responses

dr-yunus

The allegations, which the prime minister brought against Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, are incorrect and misleading, the Yunus Centre has said.

Yunus Centre, an organisation aimed primarily at promoting and disseminating the Nobel laureate’s philosophy, protested the prime minister’s recent remarks about Muhammad Yunus in press release on Thursday.

The organisation expressed its astonishment over the alleged comments.

Several daily newspapers have reported the prime minister’s alleged remarks about Muhammad Yunus on 5 May, 2015 at the meeting of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council.

In response, the Yunus Centre said: “We hope that the Honorable PM did not actually make these comments, but we are responding to each of the quotes attributed to her, since they have been published widely.”

As quoted in news reports, Prime Minister claimed Dr Yunus influenced Hillary Clinton to cancel the fund for Padma Bridge from World Bank due to the conflict with her and her government.

“He is harmful to the nation,” she also said.

Rejecting the claim, the Yunus Centre said the Nobel Laureate would never stand in the way to realise that dream of the people of Bangladesh, which is Padma Bridge.

It also says: “It is shocking that Honorable PM is quoted as making such a statement without presenting any proof of the truth of such a statement.”

Yunus centre also found it “very unfortunate” to state that Yunus is harmful to the nation.

All the remarks attributed to the prime minister in the media came during the presentation of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division on Grameen Fisheries & Livestock Foundation which concluded that the organization’s “methods had failed to help the poor.”

The Yunus Centre termed the conclusion of the IMED report on Grameen Fisheries programmes totally “unfounded” as Grameen Fisheries leased ponds to develop fisheries from the government in 1986 for a period of 25 years, before handing them back to government in 2010.

It also adds: “This was well run and highly successful project, whose future became uncertain after the ponds were returned to the government in 2011, on expiry of the lease agreement.”

About the prime minister’s remarks that Dr Yunus sold share of Grameenphone, it responded by saying that Professor Yunus never owned any share of Grameenphone in the past, nor does he own any share now. Therefore question of his selling any share does not arise.

As quoted in news report, the premier said poor people are getting stuck in microcredit system’s trap. It charges high interest rates. Its dominant approach is commercial.

“Grameen Bank’s 54 associated companies and organisations bearing the Grameen name paint the picture of how the poor are getting caught in the debt trap.”

Their response was of all microcredit organisations operating in Bangladesh, Grameen Bank’s interest rate is the lowest. “Microcredit trap” does not exist in Grameen Bank.

It also added that GB is overwhelmingly owned (75 percent) by the borrowers. They are majority members of the board. There is no scope for the bank to harm its owners.

The statement reads: It is shocking that Honorable PM is quoted to have made allegations of such a deeply serious nature about a reputed person such as Professor Yunus without presenting any proof against any of the allegations.

There are important implications of the prime minister’s comments as they create wrong impressions in the minds of people within and outside the country.

It also observes that same allegations keep on resurfacing without any reference to their responses.

Source: Dhaka Tribune

3 COMMENTS

  1. Hasina is destroying every good institution and every good person that was born in Bangladesh; with the exception of — her dynasty. She has brought Bangladesh to the precipice. She has lost her senses. Her acts are cunning and all devoted to keep her in power forever. Exactly the same thing Sheikh Mujib did in 1975. He became the lifelong President of Bangladesh by destroying the opposition. Looks like people forgot that episode. This is r4e-incarnation of the acts of 1975 – but with 10 times the force and cunning maneuvers.

  2. Hasina is a scumbag of the earth, she is the worst thing that had ever happened to Bangladesh.

    A person of low self-estemm Hasina believes that she has the monopoly to and the sole claimant of all name and fame in Bangladesh. Anyone else other than her becoming famous becomes target of her insult and taunt. Indeed, since Prof Yunus got his Nobel Peace Prize Hasina has been relentless in insulting Dr. Yunus, a man who is so well respected all over the world, who also made all Bangladeshis so proud.

    Out and out a wicked person Hasina’s affronts to Yunus are affronts to Bangladesh itself. Nothing but only God’s curse can save Bangladesh from the curse of Hasina!

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