All Bangladeshis (except Awami League chief PM Sheikh Hasina as well as a microscopic number of persons) are proud of Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus because it is he who has brought the rare honour for Bangladesh — the Nobel Prize — which is widely regarded as the most prestigious award in the world.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2006, divided into two equal parts, to Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank for their efforts to create economic and social development from below. Lasting peace can not be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty. Micro-credit is one such means. Development from below also serves to advance democracy and human rights.
Biographer of Dr. Yunus, Mr Radhidul Bari wrote in the Financial Express in 2012: “This political vendetta by Hasina against Yunus could be understood as a modern-day replay of the famous conflict between Socrates and Alcibiades. Socrates who was sent to trial on the basis of two notoriously ambiguous charges: Corrupting the youth and impiety. A majority of the 501 dikasts voted to convict him and forced him to death by drinking Hemlock. In a similar spirit, Hasina, who labeled Yunus as a “blood sucker of poor people” — unleashed Bangladesh Bank to remove him from Grameen — and used the Supreme Court to justify her illegal decision. Why did Alcibiades insult the Father of Western Philosophy? Because he thought that Socrates would become his political threat. Why has Hasina insulted the Father of Microcredit? There are three reasons: Nobel Prize, Hingsa (jealous) — and politics.The number one offence of Yunus against Hasina was wining the Nobel Peace Prize. As a result helping millions of poor people from below, in 2006, Yunus won the ultimate honour the world bestows upon its illustrious citizens, the Nobel Prize. Hasina did not like it.” Sheikh Hasina labelled Yunus as a “blood sucker of poor people” Strange and condemnable.
The Nobel Committee said, “Muhammad Yunus has shown himself to be a leader who has managed to translate visions into practical action for the benefit of millions of people, not only in Bangladesh, but also in many other countries. Loans to poor people without any financial security had appeared to be an impossible idea. From modest beginnings three decades ago, Yunus has, first and foremost through Grameen Bank, developed micro-credit into an ever more important instrument in the struggle against poverty. Grameen Bank has been a source of ideas and models for the many institutions in the field of micro-credit that have sprung up around the world.
“Every single individual on earth has both the potential and the right to live a decent life. Across cultures and civilizations, Yunus and Grameen Bank have shown that even the poorest of the poor can work to bring about their own development. Micro-credit has proved to be an important liberating force in societies where women in particular have to struggle against repressive social and economic conditions. Economic growth and political democracy can not achieve their full potential unless the female half of humanity participates on an equal footing with the male. Yunus’s long-term vision is to eliminate poverty in the world. That vision can not be realised by means of micro-credit alone. But Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank have shown that, in the continuing efforts to achieve it, micro-credit must play a major part.
In March 2011 Finance Minister AMA Muhuth said that “the country’s image on the global stage has not been enhanced by removing Professor Muhammad Yunus from Grameen Bank”. Meanwhile, the US has expressed its ‘deep concern’ over the process through which Muhammad Yunus has been removed from his position in the Grameen Bank. A US Embassy spokesman was quoted as saying, “we continue to follow developments closely and await clarification from Bangladesh government and Grameen Bank.”
It is unfortunate for Bangladesh that Dr Yunus had to earn the displeasure of the political authorities of his country. In the last couple of months he was subjected to unkind and critical attacks even by the Prime Minister herself.
Following a campaign against Dr Yunus by a Norwegian TV, Sheikh Hasina made a verbal attack on Dr Yunus accusing him of sucking out money from the poor by giving them loans. The world has replicated GB’s microcredit model including the countries like the US, Norway, Canada, Sweden and China using it effectively to reduce poverty, though it has some criticism based on country specific differences.
Meanwhile, former FBCCI president and the one of the leading businessmen of the country, Abdul Awal Mintoo spoke critically of the local and global conspiracy against the GB last week. He called upon the country’s intelligentsia and civil society leaders to join hand in setting up a national platform to unearth the conspiracy and stand in support of GB and Yunus as a global forum has already been launched in Paris entitled “Friends of Grameen.”
Indeed we are an unfortunate nation.
A W Mansoor Ahmad
Old Jessore Road, Khulna.
Source: Weekly Holiday
