M. Shafiullah
The Financial Express, December 12 2010
To much relief of the people of Bangladesh the Norwegian government has cleared the thick air gathered around Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Yunus and the Grameen Bank. The mist was created by a Norwegian TV channel and it was in the fitness of things that Oslo without loss of much time examined the whole gamut of issues and re-assured the Norwegian tax-payers that their aid money was neither embezzled nor diverted to unintended purposes. The Norwegian government also informed the Bangladesh Foreign Office (note, not the ERD) about the matter, in writing. This is how the fully functional and mature democracy works. It remains a mystery at whose behest the TV channel dug out the issue which was settled 14 years ago and indulged in an abortive attempt to belittle the image of a man who became a password for micro-credit and poverty alleviation through indigenous method, much before becoming Nobel Laureate in 2006.
The episode, instead of harming, brought out the best in Prof. Yunus. Given the events of the first week of December the exposure could be considered a blessing in disguise for him. Ruling Awami League's Senior Joint Secretary-General dubbed Prof. Yunus the "most corrupt" while party's Achilles' heel, BCL, came out in the street to denounce the Nobel Laureate and asked the Norwegian Nobel Peace Awarding Committee to rescind his Nobel Prize and award it to a more qualified person. The Jatiya Sangsad on 8 December 2010 reminded the Nobel Committee who should be the most eligible Bangladesh personality to receive the Prize! It is not a surprise the present generation of student leaders and politicians have no idea that Nobel Prize is not on sale or could be achieved through extortion. Prize is not taken back from one recipient nor is it bestowed to someone else. Earlier, sober counsel of the general secretary of the ruling party Syed Ashraful Islam and A M A Muhith were drowned under the venomous and vitriolic attack on the person of Nobel Laureate and micro-credit system of Grameen Bank from the highest quarters! World knows Bangladesh is the home of Dr.Yunus and the Grameen Bank; attack came on them from within! Replicated in about one hundred countries, the Grameen Bank system brings dignity to otherwise dehumanised millions in rich and poor countries. The poor, more so the women, are left to fend for themselves and are counted only during periodic elections. The micro-credit system stands by them through good and bad times, provide them small loan that they can handle and teach them the know-how of utilising the amount to come out of the poverty trap.
The Express, London, in its issue of 29 October 1998 candidly commented, "The man finally gave money-lending an honourable name; Professor Yunus offers an escape from poverty." About his Autobiography the publisher says, "It is a fundamental rethink on the economic relationship between the rich and the poor, their rights and obligations. The unique and extraordinary methods he used to combat human despair are recounted here with humility and conviction". Many armed-chair intellectuals make extra efforts to predate micro-credit system to Yunus. Even then it remained an abstract concept. The Nobel Peace Committee citation in part says, "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." Many years before he won Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, another Nobel Laureate President Jimmy Carter remarked, "By giving poor people the power to help themselves, Dr. Yunus has offered them something far more valuable than a plate of food-security in its most fundamental forms." After a visit to Grameen Bank, Hillary Clinton, then First Lady and now American Secretary of State, underscored Grameen's role in empowering women when she said, "I only wish every nation shared Dr. Yunus's and Grameen Bank's appreciation of the vital role that girls and women play in the economic, social and political life of our societies." These are but two symbolic appraisals of Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank from among hundreds around the globe which appear to have fallen on the deaf ears of our all-powerful women leadership. Even otherwise suave and sober Foreign Minister Dr.Dipu Moni too joins the onslaught against Nobel Laureate saying it was the collective actions of the people of Bangladesh that create the image of Bangladesh abroad, not the contribution of an individual.
We are forgetting it was a single person, Bangabandhu, who created what we are today; it was not the collective actions of the people of Bangladesh when we became five-time champion in the global corruption index of Transparency International. Bangladesh diplomats abroad are often invited to speak on Dr.Yunus and Grameen Bank. Policy makers, journalists, academics, in a word, men and women from all walks of life are curious to know from our diplomats how much Grameen Bank could bring about changes in the life of the poverty-stricken millions in Bangladesh. What kind of Bank is Grameen and what is the personality of its founder? Grameen gave Bangladesh diplomats respect abroad. After Sheikh Mujib [world knows him by this name], the Father of the Nation, people abroad is familiar with the names of Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank. Likely reasons could be found in the Nobel Peace Committee's citation, "Lasting Peace can not be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty. Micro Credit is one of such means. Development from below also serves to advance democracy and Human Rights. Nobel Prize was awarded to Yunus and Grameen Bank for their efforts to create economic and social development from below." Although Nobel Prize is considered ultimate achievement, Dr. Yunus did not rest on his laurel. His quest for ingenuity in poverty alleviation earned for him the highest US civilian award -- the Presidential Medal for Freedom at the White House in 2010. At least for the last two decades Yunus and Grameen Bank continued to be the flagship of the positive image of Bangladesh abroad in the background of never-ending blood-letting political feud, dynastic consideration of the ruling coterie, unbridled corruption at high places, poor governance, unabated extra-judicial killings and phenomenal rise in religious militancy at home. It was the time when grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina killed 22 and maimed hundreds for life. It was the time when the country-wide bombing heralded the advance made by the religious extremists. It was also the time when the Republic was dubbed to be the most corrupt in the world for consecutive five years.
In retrospect, Friday, 13 October 2006, the day Dr.Yunus and Grameen Bank earned the Nobel Prize was a watershed in the life of this nation. The country of 140 million, therefore, owes much to Yunus for restoring confidence and dignity in them and for bestowing a positive identity at their darkest hours. His acceptability and access to the power houses of the world should be harnessed for the benefit of the nation.
Ambassador M. Shafiullah served Bangabandu as his Information Officer during
1972-75. He can be reached at e-mail: rshafiullah@yahoo.com
To much relief of the people of Bangladesh the Norwegian government has cleared the thick air gathered around Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Yunus and the Grameen Bank. The mist was created by a Norwegian TV channel and it was in the fitness of things that Oslo without loss of much time examined the whole gamut of issues and re-assured the Norwegian tax-payers that their aid money was neither embezzled nor diverted to unintended purposes. The Norwegian government also informed the Bangladesh Foreign Office (note, not the ERD) about the matter, in writing. This is how the fully functional and mature democracy works. It remains a mystery at whose behest the TV channel dug out the issue which was settled 14 years ago and indulged in an abortive attempt to belittle the image of a man who became a password for micro-credit and poverty alleviation through indigenous method, much before becoming Nobel Laureate in 2006.
The episode, instead of harming, brought out the best in Prof. Yunus. Given the events of the first week of December the exposure could be considered a blessing in disguise for him. Ruling Awami League's Senior Joint Secretary-General dubbed Prof. Yunus the "most corrupt" while party's Achilles' heel, BCL, came out in the street to denounce the Nobel Laureate and asked the Norwegian Nobel Peace Awarding Committee to rescind his Nobel Prize and award it to a more qualified person. The Jatiya Sangsad on 8 December 2010 reminded the Nobel Committee who should be the most eligible Bangladesh personality to receive the Prize! It is not a surprise the present generation of student leaders and politicians have no idea that Nobel Prize is not on sale or could be achieved through extortion. Prize is not taken back from one recipient nor is it bestowed to someone else. Earlier, sober counsel of the general secretary of the ruling party Syed Ashraful Islam and A M A Muhith were drowned under the venomous and vitriolic attack on the person of Nobel Laureate and micro-credit system of Grameen Bank from the highest quarters! World knows Bangladesh is the home of Dr.Yunus and the Grameen Bank; attack came on them from within! Replicated in about one hundred countries, the Grameen Bank system brings dignity to otherwise dehumanised millions in rich and poor countries. The poor, more so the women, are left to fend for themselves and are counted only during periodic elections. The micro-credit system stands by them through good and bad times, provide them small loan that they can handle and teach them the know-how of utilising the amount to come out of the poverty trap.
The Express, London, in its issue of 29 October 1998 candidly commented, "The man finally gave money-lending an honourable name; Professor Yunus offers an escape from poverty." About his Autobiography the publisher says, "It is a fundamental rethink on the economic relationship between the rich and the poor, their rights and obligations. The unique and extraordinary methods he used to combat human despair are recounted here with humility and conviction". Many armed-chair intellectuals make extra efforts to predate micro-credit system to Yunus. Even then it remained an abstract concept. The Nobel Peace Committee citation in part says, "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." Many years before he won Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, another Nobel Laureate President Jimmy Carter remarked, "By giving poor people the power to help themselves, Dr. Yunus has offered them something far more valuable than a plate of food-security in its most fundamental forms." After a visit to Grameen Bank, Hillary Clinton, then First Lady and now American Secretary of State, underscored Grameen's role in empowering women when she said, "I only wish every nation shared Dr. Yunus's and Grameen Bank's appreciation of the vital role that girls and women play in the economic, social and political life of our societies." These are but two symbolic appraisals of Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank from among hundreds around the globe which appear to have fallen on the deaf ears of our all-powerful women leadership. Even otherwise suave and sober Foreign Minister Dr.Dipu Moni too joins the onslaught against Nobel Laureate saying it was the collective actions of the people of Bangladesh that create the image of Bangladesh abroad, not the contribution of an individual.
We are forgetting it was a single person, Bangabandhu, who created what we are today; it was not the collective actions of the people of Bangladesh when we became five-time champion in the global corruption index of Transparency International. Bangladesh diplomats abroad are often invited to speak on Dr.Yunus and Grameen Bank. Policy makers, journalists, academics, in a word, men and women from all walks of life are curious to know from our diplomats how much Grameen Bank could bring about changes in the life of the poverty-stricken millions in Bangladesh. What kind of Bank is Grameen and what is the personality of its founder? Grameen gave Bangladesh diplomats respect abroad. After Sheikh Mujib [world knows him by this name], the Father of the Nation, people abroad is familiar with the names of Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank. Likely reasons could be found in the Nobel Peace Committee's citation, "Lasting Peace can not be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty. Micro Credit is one of such means. Development from below also serves to advance democracy and Human Rights. Nobel Prize was awarded to Yunus and Grameen Bank for their efforts to create economic and social development from below." Although Nobel Prize is considered ultimate achievement, Dr. Yunus did not rest on his laurel. His quest for ingenuity in poverty alleviation earned for him the highest US civilian award -- the Presidential Medal for Freedom at the White House in 2010. At least for the last two decades Yunus and Grameen Bank continued to be the flagship of the positive image of Bangladesh abroad in the background of never-ending blood-letting political feud, dynastic consideration of the ruling coterie, unbridled corruption at high places, poor governance, unabated extra-judicial killings and phenomenal rise in religious militancy at home. It was the time when grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina killed 22 and maimed hundreds for life. It was the time when the country-wide bombing heralded the advance made by the religious extremists. It was also the time when the Republic was dubbed to be the most corrupt in the world for consecutive five years.
In retrospect, Friday, 13 October 2006, the day Dr.Yunus and Grameen Bank earned the Nobel Prize was a watershed in the life of this nation. The country of 140 million, therefore, owes much to Yunus for restoring confidence and dignity in them and for bestowing a positive identity at their darkest hours. His acceptability and access to the power houses of the world should be harnessed for the benefit of the nation.
Ambassador M. Shafiullah served Bangabandu as his Information Officer during
1972-75. He can be reached at e-mail: rshafiullah@yahoo.com
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