The Yunus Saga
Courtesy New Age 10/12/10
I REPLY to the comments made by a reader on the Yunus saga in your esteemed newspaper on Tuesday.
The said report most certainly did not seek to divert the reader from the issue at hand. Rather, the report, along with the line taken by this newspaper, rightly sought to provide a balanced opinion, urging restraint and judicious commentary by all, prior to any investigations. The report sought to counter the wild assertions of criminality and corruption made against Yunus by none other than our ruling party, despite the Norwegians making it clear at the outset that they were not alleging any kind of corruption. It is indeed important to clarify the nature of the transfer and where the funds ended up.
Time will soon tell if the transfer was actually illegal. It certainly appears, in the light of developments, to have been poorly considered.
In the meantime, let us be clear. Yunus perhaps should have informed the Norwegians of the transfer. However, after the transfer, there was a clear discussion between the parties and they came to an agreement with which both the parties have lived with for over a decade.
I suggest the reader not be too concerned about transparency, accountability and the rights of the tax payer in Norway, given the condition of these values within a ten mile radius of wherever she lives in Bangladesh. We would be lucky to have a tiny fraction of what the Norwegians have of these qualities regardless of the compromise their donor agency deemed expedient. This, I believe, judging by the lack of interest in this matter abroad, will turn into a typically-local storm in a teacup.
Let us come to more important matters other than the funds transferred by one of our finest men from one company to another within the same group of companies without pocketing a taka for himself. It is contradictory that the ruling party of one of the world's most corrupt countries, which has never demanded an investigation into any of its own members for corruption, now demands an investigation into one of the few living icons of the land. It is contradictory that the ruling party demands a public investigation into this transaction but has never had cause to investigate any of the billions and billions of dollars worth of transactions under its reign. It is contradictory that the only people alleging corruption are Sheikh Hasina and her party leaders, when party members practise mayhem and violence on a daily basis. It is contradictory that Sheikh Hasina calls him a blood sucker profiting from the plight of the poor but her party has never actually done anything about this in its two terms in the office. It is contradictory that Sheikh Hasina says the issue will damage our reputation abroad when she herself is the only one making the accusation in front of the media. It is contradictory for Sheikh Hasina to speak of decorum and responsibility when she herself openly exhibits glee at this unfortunate event, expressing it in the most unappetising language. It is contradictory that Sheikh Hasina should use such accusatory language when her own administration has overseen the public interest, in the forms of both share ownership and board membership, across two terms, in the same company.
The real issue of the day is the plight of the electorate that continues to live with the pettiness, jealousy and mean-mindedness of our political leaders. Yunus has been muzzled by the ruling party from the day it came to power. Now, openly, it seeks to ruin him. Seemingly, such is the affront he caused to Sheikh Hasina when he dared exercise his democratic right to enter politics—when politics is the personal fiefdom of our two political dynasties. Many may be the clever writers who seek to divert us from this.
The Grameen Bank has dispensed more than five billion dollars in small loans to more than five million borrowers over many years, with substantial growth under each term of her government. Sheikh Hasina now alleges she sees no example of success – only suffering. If so, then it is her government that must be held to account for allowing the suffering of millions.
We should, in fact, praise Yunus and the Norwegians for making any compromise regarding this transaction. Thanks to them, we have a transaction, complete with published documents which we can talk about. It is not as if any of our government could ever have found, or disclosed, any other transaction for us to talk about.
Justice, truth and the law, brutalised again and again by blind partisanship and our politicians, will find little solace in grandstanding over this transaction.
Ezajur Rahman
Kuwait
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