__._,_.___
Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star, which was one of the architects behind the much controversial military coup on January 11, 2007, has now started fresh attempts in maligning the image of Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed, also kwon as Sajeeb Wazed Joy is an IT professional who was selected by World Economic Forum as one of the 250 Young Global Leaders of the World. He is the son of Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the grandson of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh.
Sajeeb Wazed was born in 1971 during the Bangladesh Liberation War to the eminent Bengali nuclear scientist Dr. M. A. Wazed Miah and Sheikh Hasina Wazed. His birth during the war and subsequent victory of the Bengalis earned him the nickname given by his maternal grandfather, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, "Joy" which in Bengali means victory.
Wazed was schooled in India. His early days were spent at boarding in St. Joseph's College Nainital, India and later at Kodaikanal International School in Palani Hills, Tamil Nadu. He pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, physics and mathematics from Bangalore University. Wazed then pursued another bachelor of science degree in computer engineering at the University of Texas, Arlington in the United States. Subsequently, Wazed attended the Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University, where he completed a Masters in Public Administration.
Daily Star and its affiliate vernacular daily are engaged in encouraging various activities against the democratic institutions in Bangladesh. After the military coup and subsequent installation of a military controlled interim government, these newspapers played important role as the mouthpiece of the entire conspiracy. One of the top executives of The Daily Star was appointed as the Press Secretary to the Chief Executive of the military controlled regime and the offices of the newspapers were actually known as the alternative centers of conspiracy against democratic institutions in Bangladesh during that time.
It is also alleged that, editors and reporters of these newspapers provided various information, scoop and documents against the politicians, including Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, thus enabling some over-ambitious military officers in taking harassing actions against these esteemed leaders of the country. It may be mentioned here that, both Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia were given slow poison inside the prison at the suggestions of the 'advisors' of the ambitious military officers. Now the same group of newspapers has joined hands with Dr. Muhammed Yunus in maligning the image of the current government in Bangladesh as well as important political figures affiliated with Bangladesh Awami League.
One of the editors of the dailies is alleged to be directly involved in patronizing Islamist militancy in Bangladesh.
In its news item titled 'Grameen Bank on Joy's letter', The Daily Star wrote on March 11, 2011: "Sajeeb Wajed Joy, son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has riddled Grameen Bank with allegations of tax evasion, fraud and illegal activities under its founder Muhammad Yunus, prompting the microlender to issue a firm rebuttal.
"In a statement yesterday, the "Bank for the Poor" disputed Joy's letter, published in a section of the press and said the "news contains a number of inaccurate facts and appears to be misconceived".
"Joy, who lives in the US, has written and signed an open letter full of rants against the Nobel-winning organisation. In the letter initially circulated by email, Joy has identified himself as an adviser to the prime minister.
"Last year Norwegian Television uncovered documents revealing massive financial improprieties at Grameen Bank under Muhammad Yunus. Approximately $100 million in donor funds to Grameen Bank were transferred out of Grameen Bank to a private corporation, Grameen Kalyan set up by Yunus," Joy said.
"The government of Norway raised this as a major concern and as a compromise $30 million was returned. The remaining approximately $70 million was never returned. All correspondence in this regard was from Yunus himself," he said.
"Just as international lobbying and media is being used in this recent incident, no doubt Yunus lobbied the Norwegian government as well. However, their explanation left millions of dollars unaccounted for."
"Joy said this became a major issue in Bangladesh and the government was forced to form an independent committee to investigate." Yunus personally gave a press statement [no questions were allowed] where he announced that he undertook these transfers to avoid taxes, which constitutes tax evasion."
"However, this makes no sense since Grameen was at the time a non-profit and paid no taxes. What is clear is that this transfer is completely illegal and constitutes a criminal offence of 'conversion' under Bangladesh law."
"Further investigation uncovered other fraud, improprieties and illegal activity at Grameen Bank under Yunus."
"Joy said, between 1998 and 2002 all microloan borrowers were forced to pay an additional amount labelled "forced savings" which they were supposed to be paid back." However, this money was never returned to the borrowers, who are among the poorest of society! This is fraud and theft."
He alleged that donor funds were used to invest in a variety of private-for-profit ventures, all without approval from either the donors or the government, which owns 25 percent of Grameen Bank.
"In several cases, the equity in these private ventures was held not by Grameen Bank, but by Yunus and his family members personally. This is completely illegal and constitutes embezzlement," Joy claimed.
"He said loans were made by Grameen Bank to some of these corporations, which is completely illegal since Grameen Bank is not a regular bank. "It is lending donor funds and is only allowed to loan to microcredit borrowers."
"Joy also claimed Grameen charges up to 30 percent interest rate on loans and up to an additional 10 percent in "forced savings" to the poorest sections of society." Their collection methods are draconian and collection officers who fail to collect payment have the uncollected amounts deducted from their pay."
"There are many documented cases which constitute abuse and the criminal offence of 'molestation' under Bangladesh law," Joy wrote in the letter.
"He claimed the government, not Yunus, founded Grameen Bank." Contrary to the popular perception, Yunus did not found Grameen Bank. The government of Bangladesh did. Initially the government owned 65 percent of Grameen Bank, which was whittled down over the years by Yunus. The government still owns 25 percent of Grameen Bank and retains the right to veto management appointees."
"Joy said there is little evidence that showed a link between microcredit and reduction of poor people." Despite the hype, there is no evidence that microcredit has in fact reduced the rolls of the poor in Bangladesh. Grameen Bank has been in the microcredit business for 30 years, yet Bangladesh remains one of the poorest countries in the world."
"Furthermore, the private sector investments made using Grameen Bank money have become quite profitable. Grameen Phone is by far the largest telecommunications operator in Bangladesh with a subscriber base of 28 million, annual revenue of over $1 billion and profits of several hundred million dollars per year. Grameen Bank owns 35 percent equity in Grameen Phone, so why do they have to charge such high interest rates to the poor?"
"Joy also said the government had tried to retain the respect of Yunus." Given his stature as a Nobel Prize winner, the government of Bangladesh requested that Yunus step down quietly from the post of managing director of Grameen Bank. He refused and has engaged in an international lobbying campaign accusing our government and in particular, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of engaging in political retribution."
"Nothing could be further from the truth. Yunus has no political stature in Bangladesh. During the brief military regime from 2007-08, under a state of emergency with all political activity banned and most political leaders behind bars, even with the help of the military he was unable to put together a political party and garner any public support. Politically he is a non-entity in Bangladesh and no threat to any political leader," Joy said."
The Daily Star wrongly alleged that, Sajeeb Wazed Joy claimed to be the advisor to the Prime Minister, while in his letter Joy identified himself to be the advisor to Sheikh Hasina [his mother]. This tricky twisting of information by The Daily Star evidently proves its heinous attitude towards the ruling party, politicians and democratic institutions in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, after being ousted from Grameen Bank, Dr. Yunus has started frantic bids in tarnishing the image of the current government in Bangladesh through his contacts inside Barack Obama's administration as well as several senators and members of US Congress from the Democratic Party. A media cell set by Yunus is also providing information and facts in defense of him as well information against the current government to various international media outlets. Dr. Yunus is known as a PR expert, who also is trying to hire lobbyists as well as columnists to write favorable articles in his favor thus ultimately helping him from losing control over the Grameen Bank, which was in reality used by Yunus as his mere pocket organization.
It may be mentioned here that, Weekly Blitz [the newspaper edited by me] continued to publish articles, reports and editorials exposing illegal activities of Dr. Yunus since 2008. Subsequently, a number of international media, including Norwegian film maker Tom Heinemann made a documentary film on irregularities inside Grameen Bank.
http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1329/daily-star-takes-on-sajeeb-wazed-joy
THE claims and conclusions of the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on food security during her question hour in parliament on Wednesday could at best be the result of an inadequate reading of the reality on the ground, and at worst a deliberate attempt at misleading the people at large. According to a report published in New Age, Hasina claimed that there is no food crisis in Bangladesh and blamed 'some evil circles' for creating an artificial crisis in the market. She also said the government had taken an initiative to amend the anti-hoarding law to make it up to date and effective in checking hoarding. The prime minister seems to have equated food security to available food stock in the country, so suggests her emphasis on its replenishment through imports of rice and wheat from India, Thailand and Vietnam. What seems missing from her reading of the situation is the fact that adequate or even surplus food stock counts for little if people have no access to it and people's access to food is consequent upon their purchasing capacity, which appears to be on a sustained decline in the face of raging price inflation and shrinking employment opportunities.
Simply put, if people don't have the money in their purse, even the minimum possible price of food and other essential commodities would be beyond their reach. Indeed, the government needs to wage a fight against the market syndicate that creates artificial crisis for a windfall and keep the prices stable. However, here too, the prime minister's tough words against hoarding lack contextualisation. For example, it is not clear what she means by 'hoarding' nor is it defined who would be guilty of hoarding or what the distinction between legitimate storage and hoarding is.
If her definition of food security or hoarding is dubious, her claim that the people in Bangladesh are eating more food now as their earnings have increased simply borders on the absurd. Moreover, it runs counter with the very rationale for her government's decision to launch open market sales of rice and fair price shops for class IV employees. In fact, available statistics tend to generally indicate erosion in the people's real income. While dwindling investment, both foreign and domestic, caused by a wide range of factors such as abysmal law and order, pervasive corruption, inadequate infrastructure and erratic electric and gas supply, has prompted the private sector to go for consolidation through layoffs, the public sector expenditure has been dismal, to say the least. According to media reports, the Awami League-Jatiya Party government has utilised 37 per cent of the money allocated for its annual development programme in the firs eight months of the current fiscal year, which is two per cent lower than the corresponding period of the last financial area. It follows then that employment generation in the public sector has been limited as it has been in the private sector.
The prime minister and her government needs to realise such erroneous reading of the reality on the ground and inflated claims would sound like a cruel joke to the people at large, who are in a perpetual struggle to make ends meet. If the incu
http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/editorial/11052.html
Operation Libya and the Battle for Oil: Redrawing the Map of Africa by Prof Michel Chossudovsky The geopolitical and economic implications of a US-NATO led military intervention directed against Libya are far-reaching. Libya is among the World's largest oil economies with approximately 3.5% of global oil reserves, more than twice those of the US. "Operation Libya" is part of the broader military agenda in the Middle East and Central Asia which consists in gaining control and corporate ownership over more than sixty percent of the world's reserves of oil and natural gas, including oil and gas pipeline routes. "Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Yemen, Libya, Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, possess between 66.2 and 75.9 percent of total oil reserves, depending on the source and methodology of the estimate." (See Michel Chossudovsky, The "Demonization" of Muslims and the Battle for Oil, Global Research, January 4, 2007) . With 46.5 billion barrels of proven reserves, (10 times those of Egypt), Libya is the largest oil economy in the African continent followed by Nigeria and Algeria (Oil and Gas Journal). In contrast, US proven oil reserves are of the order of 20.6 billion barrels (December 2008) according to the Energy Information Administration. U.S. Crude Oil, Natural Gas, and Natural Gas Liquids Reserves)
The most recent estimates place Libya's oil reserves at 60 billion barrels. Its gas reserves at 1,500 billion m3. Its production has been between 1.3 and 1.7 million barrels a day, well below its productive capacity. Its longer term objective is three million b/d and a gas production of 2,600 million cubic feet a day, according to figures of the National Oil Corporation (NOC).
An invasion of Libya under a humanitarian mandate would serve the same corporate interests as the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq. The underlying objective is to take possession of Libya's oil reserves, destabilize the National Oil Corporation (NOC) and eventually privatize the country's oil industry, namely transfer the control and ownership of Libya's oil wealth into foreign hands. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) is ranked 25 among the world's Top 100 Oil Companies. (The Energy Intelligence ranks NOC 25 among the world's Top 100 companies. - Libyaonline.com) The planned invasion of Libya, which is already underway is part of the broader "Battle for Oil". Close to 80 percent of Libya's oil reserves are located in the Sirte Gulf basin of Eastern Libya. (See map below) Libya is a Prize Economy. "War is good for business". Oil is the trophy of US-NATO led wars. Wall Street, the Anglo-American oil giants, the US-EU weapons producers would be the unspoken beneficiaries of a US-NATO led military campaign directed against Libya. Libyan oil is a bonanza for the Anglo-American oil giants. While the market value of crude oil is currently well in excess of 100 dollars a barrel, the cost of Libyan oil is extremely low, as low as $1.00 a barrel (according to one estimate). As one oil market expert commented somewhat cryptically:
Foreign Oil Interests in Libya Foreign oil companies operating prior to the insurrection in Libya include France's Total, Italy's ENI, The China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), British Petroleum, the Spanish Oil consortium REPSOL, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Occidental Petroleum, Hess, Conoco Phillips. Of significance, China plays a central role in the Libyan oil industry. The China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) had until its repatriation a Chinese workforce in Libya of 30,000. British Petroleum (BP) in contrast had a British workforce of 40 which ahs been repatriated. Eleven percent (11%) of Libyan oil exports are channelled to China. While there are no figures on the size and importance of CNPC's production and exploration activities, there are indications that they are sizeable. More generally, China's presence in North Africa is considered by Washington to constitute an intrusion. From a geopolitical standpoint, China is an encroachment. The military campaign directed against Libya is intent upon excluding China from North Africa. Also of importance is the role of Italy. ENI, the Italian oil consortium puts out 244,000 barrels of gas and oil, which represents almost 25 percent of Libya's total exports. ( Sky News: Foreign oil firms halt Libyan operations, February 23, 2011). Among US companies in Libya, Chevron and Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) decided barely 6 months ago (October 2010) not to renew their oil and gas exploration licenses in Libya. (Why are Chevron and Oxy leaving Libya?: Voice of Russia, October 6, 2010). In contrast, in November 2010, Germany's oil company, R.W. DIA E signed a far-reaching agreement with Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) involving exploration and production sharing. AfricaNews - Libya: German oil firm signs prospecting deal - The AfricaNews, The financial stakes as well as "the spoils of war" are extremely high. The military operation is intent upon dismantling Libya's financial institutions as well as confiscating billions of dollars of Libyan financial assets deposited in Western banks. It should be emphasised that Libya's military capabilities, including its air defense system are weak.
Redrawing the Map of Africa Libya has the largest oil reserves in Africa. The objective of US-NATO interference is strategic: it consists in outright theft, in stealing the nation's oil wealth under the disguise of a humanitarian intervention. This military operation is intent upon establishing US hegemony in North Africa, a region historically dominated by France and to lesser extent by Italy and Spain. With regard to Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, Washington's design is to weaken the political links of these countries to France and push for the installation of new political regimes which have a close rapport with the US. This weakening of France is part of a US imperial design. It is a historical process which goes back to the wars in Indochina. US-NATO intervention leading to the eventual formation of a US puppet regime is also intent upon excluding China from the region and edging out China's National Petroleum Corp (CNPC). The Anglo-American oil giants including British Petroleum which signed an exploration contract in 2007 with the Ghadaffi government are among the potential "beneficiaries" of the proposed US-NATO military operation. More generally, what is at stake is the redrawing of the map of Africa, a process of neo-colonial redivision, the scrapping of the demarcations of the 1884 Berlin Conference, the conquest of Africa by the United States in alliance with Britain, in a US-NATO led operation.
The colonial redivision of Africa. 1913 Libya: Strategic Saharan Gateway to Central Africa Libya has borders with several countries which are France's sphere of influence including Algeria, Tunisia, Niger and Chad. Chad is potentially an oil rich economy. ExxonMobil and Chevron have interests in Southern Chad including a pipeline project. Southern Chad is a gateway into the Darfur region of Sudan, which is also strategic in view of its oil wealth. More generally, the Southern border of Libya is strategic for the United States in its quest to extend its sphere of influence in Francophone Africa, a vast territory extending from North Africa to Central and Western Africa. Historically this region was part of France and Belgium's colonial empires, the borders of which were established at the Berlin Conference of 1884.
Source www.hobotraveler.com The US played a passive role at the 1884 Berlin Conference. This new 21st Century redivision of the African continent, predicated on the control over oil, natural gas and strategic minerals (cobalt, uranium, chromium, manganese, platinum and uranium) largely supports dominant Anglo-American corporate interests. US interference in North Africa redefines the geopolitics of an entire region. It undermines China and overshadows the influence of the European Union. This new redivision of Africa not only weakens the role of the former colonial powers (including France and Italy) in North Africa. it is also part of a broader process of displacing and weakening France (and Belgium) over a large part of the African continent. US puppet regimes have been installed in several African countries which historically were in the sphere of influence of France (and Belgium), including The Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. Several countries in West Africa (including Côte d'Ivoire) are slated to become US proxy states. The European Union is heavily dependent on the flow of Libyan oil. 85 percent of its oil is sold to European countries. In the case of a war with Libya, the supply of petroleum to Western Europe could be further disrupted, largely affecting Italy, France and Germany. Thirty percent of Italy's oil and 10 percent of its gas are imported from Libya. Libyan gas is fed through the Greenstream pipeline in the Mediterranean (See map below).
The mainstream media through massive disinformation is complicit in justifying a military agenda which, if carried out, would have devastating consequences not only for the Libyan people: the social and economic impacts would be felt Worldwide. There are at present three distinct war theaters in the broader Middle East Central Asian region: Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq. In the case of an attack on Libya, a fourth war theater would be opened up in North Africa, with the risk of military escalation. Public opinion must take cognizance of the hidden agenda behind this alleged humanitarian undertaking, heralded by the heads of state and heads of government of NATO countries as a "Just War". The Just War theory in both its classical and contemporary versions upholds war as a "humanitarian operation". It calls for military intervention on ethical and moral grounds against "rogue states" and "Islamic terrorists". The Just war theory demonizes the Gaddafi regime while providing The heads of state and heads of government of NATO countries are the architects of war and destruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. In an utterly twisted logic, they are heralded as the voices of reason, as the representatives of the "international community". Realities are turned upside down. A humanitarian intervention is launched by war criminals in high office, who are the guardians of the Just War theory. Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo,... Civilian casualties in Pakistan resulting from US drone attacks on town and villages, ordered by president Obama are not front page news, nor are the 2 million civilian deaths in Iraq. There is no such thing as a "Just War". The history of US imperialism should be understood. The 2000 Report of the Project of the New American Century entitled "Rebuilding Americas' Defenses" calls for the implementation of a long war, a war of conquest. One of the main components of this military agenda is: to "Fight and decisively win in multiple, simultaneous theater wars". Operation Libya is part of that process. It is another theater in the Pentagon's logic of "simultaneous theater wars". The PNAC document faithfully reflects the evolution of US military doctrine since 2001. The US plans to be involved simultaneously in several war theaters in different regions of the World. While protecting America, namely "National Security" of the United States of America is upheld as an objective, the PNAC report does spell out why these multiple theater wars are required. The humanitarian justification is not mentioned. What is the purpose of America's military roadmap? Libya is targeted because it is one among several remaining countries outside America's sphere of influence, which fail to conform to US demands. Libya is a country which has been selected as part of a military "road map" which consists of "multiple simultaneous theater wars". In the words of former NATO Commander Chief General Wesley Clark:
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Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gets 11 crore taka railway contract
http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2011-03-12/news/137805
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… and 'WikiLeaked' Bangladesh!
Pervez Ahmed
If the WWIII, as it has already been predicted, would befall for the
paucity of 'potable water', then it may be considered as possible that
the WWIV would take place for acquiring 'information'. This may seem
imminent eventually as concealed and classified 'facts' unveiled by
the WikiLeaks have become a matter of headache for the big powers
along with the Superpower. Julian Assange, the internet's freedom
fighter's endeavor to shift regime behavior and to reveal 'unjust
systems' has unleashed diplomatic cables consist of embarrassing
'confidentials' that did concern the related regimes and the entire
diplomatic world. In conjunction with this, the exposé includes the
'tale of woe' for Bangladesh as well, and disclosed secrets that would
question the statecraft, political posture, intelligence, security
issues, human rights situation, and predominantly, the sovereignty of
the country.
As WikiLeaks published 'secrets' on Bangladesh, albeit claimed
'cynical' by some, these leaked diplomatic cables delineated that they
are not that much far from the truth in some points of facts or just
confirmed the occurrences. At the outset, the allegations in the leaks
on RAB of being favored as a counter-terrorism partner and
'Bangladeshi FBI' by the governments of the US and the UK point
towards the security and human rights issues of Bangladesh. RAB has
now been a concern to the human rights organizations for its
extra-judicial killings and criticised as the British trained
'accredited government death squad'. It has also been published in the
cables that DGFI was responsible for promoting extremists (Huji-BD)
and for bringing them into the mainstream politics through a new
political party (IDP) that certainly shows the decadence in the
intelligence system. Also, cable derived from the US mission in New
Delhi showed that the preceding Caretaker Government had taken
'Minus-2 Theory' to push the two major leaders out of politics with
the instigation of different foreign embassies which phased in
'Bangladesh at Crossroads' and the whole political posture under
serious question mark concerning the democratic system of the country.
Then again, cables revealed that British officials along with the US
and development agencies like DFID and USAid are working on promoting
a curriculum reform of Madrassas in Bangladesh to prevent the
'radicalization of Muslim youth', which indicates that the
government's education policies are not much free from foreign
pressures whatsoever. Moreover, cables posted by WikiLeaks on the US
diplomats' pressure on the government for reinstating Phulbari coal
mine which was closed after violent protests and also for engaging
Asia Energy again to the project with the prescribed 'open-pit
mining', and on newer leaks, for insisting on to hire US-based Conoco
Philips and Chevron for working on the gas sector. These clearly
depicted the weaknesses in major policy implications in terms of
taking the decisions by the government itself. Another leaked
diplomatic cable suggests to keep an eye on 'Bangladesh's attempt to
gain influence' in different regions via UN peace keeping operations
which comprehends the deficiency of the US's confidence in the
international position and participation of Bangladesh.
Consequently, these contentions and revelations evidently define the
'tale of woe' and defenselessness of the sovereignty along with the
governance of the country, which provides no alternative but to merely
sit on the fence. The government has to concentrate more on attaining
'self-determination' given that the foreign embassies and big powers
have long been the mentors of every government of Bangladesh in terms
of formulating national policies and strategies, and also other
pertinent issues. Whether the cables are authentic or erroneous, they
could be helpful for emancipating from the 'unjust systems' and for
getting on the road to reality in this era of 'Right to Information'.
In general, it cannot be denied that the leaked incidents
coincidentally harmonized the existing concerns with the exposé,
likewise in case of Bangladesh too. Not surprisingly, who knows, the
reality behind the revelations could be more intense than the
labyrinth itself.
The writer is a Masters in IR and works for an NGO.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=177358
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Grameen Bank chair's strange email
The Daily Star yesterday asked Muzammel to explain the reason for
sending the mail far and wide when he is the chairman of an
organisation that is now in trouble over the exit of its founder Prof
Yunus.
It is none other than the chairman of troubled Grameen Bank who is
spreading by email a damning article on the organisation he is meant
to hold together. (The Daily Star)
Muzammel Huq, the government-appointed chairman of the microlender,
emailed the article, "Yunusgate: If you can't convince, create
confusion", written by Nayeemul Islam Khan, editor of Bangla-language
daily Amader Shomoy.
The article that puts Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen
Bank in a negative light was posted on bdnews24.com on March 7
apparently for a wider readership.
Speaking to The Daily Star, two recipients confirmed that they have
received the article's link from Muzammel's email account.
In a post, a blogger questioned Muzammel's intention of sending the
article to a wider mailing list which he found on social network site
Facebook.
The list obtained by The Daily Star has 126 recipients including a
former president and two ministers of Bangladesh; aid organisations,
UN agencies, diplomatic missions and foundations at home and abroad;
and bankers and senior company executives.
The Daily Star yesterday asked Muzammel to explain the reason for
sending the mail far and wide when he is the chairman of an
organisation that is now in trouble over the exit of its founder Prof
Yunus.
"People should know different sides of a story and then decide what
they should or should not do," Muzammel said.
Pressed to comment further over the phone, he snapped: "I won't
discuss with you (The Daily Star correspondent) any contents of my
personal emails and why I did so. Why should I tell you about my
personal things?" Then he hung up.
Muzammel, one of Yunus' former deputies, has been a vocal critic of
the microcredit pioneer, and the promotion of a former employee came
as a surprise to many and gave clear signs at the time that the
government would oust Grameen's founder.
In response to Muzammel's email, David Bornstein, author of The Price
of a Dream: The Story of the Grameen Bank, said: "As a journalist who
has written extensively about microcredit, and the author of a well
known book on Grameen, I am very interested in all matters relating to
the Bank.
"But the article is reminiscent of the kind of rant one hears from
"birthers" in the United States who assert that President Obama was
born in Kenya. The piece is a litany of innuendo and accusation --
most of which the reader is asked to take on sheer faith.
"But what is well known and substantiated is the fact that the
government of Bangladesh is consistently ranked one of the most
corrupt in the world. Billions in foreign aid have been siphoned off
by the government at the highest levels. Grameen, on the other hand,
has been an anomaly: a bank that does not sanction bribes, where
people do not get jobs through patronage, where the money actually
reaches the poor, and where borrowers do not renege on their loans and
get off scot-free because of family connections."
http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=350389
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At a time when the whole nation is enjoying cricket, the needle of your gramophone is stuck at one point. Hasina! Hasina! Hasina!. Why Hasina picture on billboards? Why Hasina not killed like Felani? Why Hasina wants Noble prize? Etc. etc and etc. Man we have many other things to worry about other than Hasina (or for that matter Khaleda).
When everybody in Bangladesh, irrespective of his/her political affiliation, was upset with the performance of Bangladesh cricket team, you seem to be enjoying it. But don't worry; it is your time to be upset. Bangladesh has beaten England.