Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman has dedicated his ‘GUSI Peace Prize International 2014’ Award to Bangladesh’s enterprising poor.
A Manila-based charitable organisation, Gusi Peace Prize Foundation, conferred the award on Rahman, along with 15 others, in the Philippine’s capital on Wednesday in recognition of his work in establishing peace in the society by reducing poverty.
The organisation termed him a “Poor Man’s Economist”.
The foundation is presenting the award, named after Capt Gemeniano Javier Gusi, since 2002 to distinguished people from around the world who are working to improve the lives of people.
Barry Gusi, son of the legendary human-rights activist who took part in the guerrilla warfare against Japan during the Second World War, is the incumbent chairman of the foundation.
Gusi handed over the citation to the nominees at Philippine’s International Convention Centre on Wednesday evening.
Atiur Rahman highlighted various gamuts of his works and the progress made by Bangladesh in his speech, delivered in English, at the awards ceremony. The economist, however, concluded the address in Bangla.
“I am dedicating this award to hardworking and enterprising poor people of Bangladesh,” he said. He also dedicated the award to the martyrs of Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
Rahman is the second Bangladeshi to get the award.
Secretary General of Development Organisation of Rural Poor AHM Noman received the award in 2013.
Among the recipients of this year’s award are founder of India’s Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences Achyuta Samanta and Executive Director of the Henry Fok Foundation of China Manson Fok. Apart from them, the award has been conferred to 12 other eminent personalities from Australia, Congo, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland and Saudi Arabia.
Rahman’s initiative to allow farmers, readymade garments workers, street children and students to open bank accounts with Tk 10 and his role in expansion of mobile banking and providing loans to small entrepreneurs without security deposit were taken into consideration while nominating him for the award.
According to him, he was moving forward towards achieving his goal of turning the central bank into a ‘humane bank.’
The Bangladesh Bank governor went to Manila to receive the award on Sunday. The Bangladesh embassy there already felicitated him.
Source: Bd news24
