The Yunus Saga
Courtesy New Age 10/12/10
I WOULD request the minister who commented that `Yunus is corrupt' to apologise not only to Yunus but also to the whole nation. That minister should look at himself and his party men to check whether they are out and out honest themselves; and comment only then about someone who at least brightens the name of the country in the comity of the nations.
I ask Yunus and Grameen Bank to sue that minister for publicly terming him corrupt. The newspapers that ran the story with headlines such as `Yunus siphoned off money' should also be brought to trial because there was no hint in the news about Yunus pocketing the amount for himself.
Our politicians seem afraid of the possible demolition of their fortress of ruling this nation in the near future. Yunus's effort to organise a third force in 2008 is what made our `ever peace-loving, honest and people-loving' politicians angry, afraid and antagonistic of Yunus.
A question for the politicians—can you claim yourselves to be honest? So far you have failed to submit detailed accounts of your properties as promised by the prime minister; many lawmakers submitted false statements for the allocation of a piece of land in the Purbachal and Uttara projects and we see allegations of numerous irregularities in the dailies.
If you attempt purification from within, we won't need a Grameen Bank to work for poverty alleviation. The country needs honest and visionary leadership to advance and get rid of poverty.
When the prime minister says Yunus is sucking blood from the poor, or that he charges high interest, we don't see any alternative idea coming from her to counter the programme. Since the government has a 25 per cent stake in the Grameen Bank and representatives in its board of directors, why doesn't she insist on reducing the interest rate or come up with new ideas? She would become a potential candidate for the Noble Prize, I am sure, if she did so. Bangladesh would have been far better off if we had honest, sincere and patriotic politicians.
MM Mortayez Amin
Dhanmondi, Dhaka
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