Khaleda Zia is making hue and cry on expulsion on Dr. Yunus from Grameen Bank. Conversely, while she was in power her government's attitude toward Dr. Yunus was full of jealousy. From a close source of Khaleda Zia who dose not wants to be named told journalists that Khaleda Zia directed her Finance Minister Saifur Rahman to disparage the news of Dr. Yunus getting Nobel Prize. Accordingly BNP Finance Minister ridiculed Dr. Yunus saying " FOKIRNIR HATA DUI TEEN HAZAR TAKA AR AKTA MOBILE PHONE DHORAI DILA DESHER UNNOYON HOYNA.Finance Minister Saifur Rahman cast doubt on contributions by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus and micro credit to the country's development.
Following Khaleda Zia's instruction FM Saifur Rahman arranged agitation against Dr.Yunus and Grameen Bank in Sylhet and elsewhere during BNP first term in power. Finance Minister himself said in his speech speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Dutch Bangla Bank Ltd Moulvibazar branch in Oct 19th 2006.
Now in 2011 being opposition leader Khaleda Zia all of a sudden becomes solemn defender of Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank. Who you believe, Khaleda Zia of 1991 and 1996 who asked her Finance Minister to agitate people against Dr. Yunus and Grameen as well as ridicule role of Grameen small finance in real economy or the champion defender of Grameen and Dr. Yunus in 2011.
Readers please read Daily Star report on October of 2006 and come to your own conclusion.
Thanks,
Shamim Chowdhury
Maryland, U.S.A.
Link: http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/10/23/d61023011713.htm
Link: http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/10/20/d61020011913.htm
================================================================
| | Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW |
|  | | Vol. 5 Num 858 | Mon. October 23, 2006 | | |
| | | Front Page
| Saifur doubts contributions of Prof Yunus
Staff Correspondent
Emphasising the BNP-led government's achievements, Finance Minister Saifur Rahman yesterday cast doubt on contributions by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus and microcredit to the country's development."What did microcredit do regarding life expectancy, women literacy and reserve of foreign exchange?" Saifur asked while addressing a farewell programme at the finance and planning ministry. Officials of his ministry organised the programme at the ministry auditorium as the government's tenure expires on October 27. The minister sarcastically remarked that the government has established thousands of schools across the country. He posed a question whether a handful of those institutions was established by Prof Yunus or the BRAC. Citing examples of the country's development during the BNP government's rule, he asked how much of it was the result of microcredit system. Though Prof Yunus won Nobel Peace Prize for microcredit Saifur claimed the then government of 1979-80 actually initiated the system. Meanwhile, in his last speech as a minister of the outgoing government, Saifur yesterday discussed a number of other issues. Regretting the current political trend, the minister said he would not involve in politics any further, as unethical "things" have to be done in this arena. He stressed that these unethical "things" are the reasons behind corruption. He mentioned an incident when a World Bank official informed him of a serious corruption attempt in a project. Saifur however ruled out one-sided criticism of Bangladesh in connection with corruption, saying officials from international organisations are equally involved in irregularities. He expressed his frustration over the mammoth size of the government and the differences among the ministers, MPs and bureaucrats and lamented for the "good old days". "We miserably lack democratic mentality," he bemoaned. Though Bangladesh has a permanent civil service, Saifur said corruption occurred too frequently in this sector and it must be stopped. Admitting that his ministry had delayed project implementation process, he said, "The prime minister used to say that the planning ministry is to blame for these." The planning ministry actually holds up the project proposals from the concerned ministries as it finds various problems during scrutiny and thus the implementation further slows down. The accusation is 99 percent appropriate, Saifur observed, adding, though he formed a committee to avoid such circumstances it did not work. The minister started working at 10:30am and except for two to three hours, he was busy signing files even at the farewell venue. Saifur also attended a programme at the Finance Division yesterday. | | |
================================================================
| | Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW |
|  | | Vol. 5 Num 855 | Fri. October 20, 2006 | | |
| | | Front Page
| Saifur critical of Grameen Bank
Our Correspondent, Moulvibazar
Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman said true development of the country will be achieved through establishing large-scale industries and modernising agriculture, not by running microcredit programmes.Saifur criticised Grameen Bank's microcredit scheme and other activities even though he congratulated Prof Muhammad Yunus on his winning the Nobel Peace Prize. He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Dutch Bangla Bank Ltd Moulvibazar branch yesterday afternoon. Saifur said the people of Sylhet region demonstrated against the Grameen Bank during the previous term of the BNP government and he had to go to the spot himself to sort the situation out. He claimed that the current government has distributed more microcredit loans than the Grameen Bank. He said according to his knowledge none was able to relieve themselves of poverty with the help of microcredit only and they failed to become self-reliant. Saifur alleged that Yunus was able to win the Nobel Peace Prize only because he has good relations with former US president Bill Clinton and New York Senator Hillary Clinton, who helped Yunus in this regard. Saifur also criticised Yunus' recent announcement to form a new political party. The finance minister said great leaders like Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Ziaur Rahman had formed political parties and their parties have been in power several times. But they could not solve all the problems of the people. | | | |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yunus victim of vendetta: Khaleda | | | Sun, Mar 6th, 2011 4:13 pm BdST | Dial 2000 from your GP mobile for latest news | |
Dhaka, Feb 6 (bdnews24.com) — BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has said Muhammad Yunus has been the victim of the government's political vendetta and urged all to remain alert about its 'pernicious campaign'.
"The controversy unleashed over Grameen Bank and Prof Muhammad Yunus is the manifestation of political meanness. It'll only harm the microfinance organisation, depriving the underprivileged people, and women," she said in a statement on Sunday.
In the statement, undersigned by her press secretary Maruf Kamal, Khaleda said, "The government has long been involved in undermining a personality like Prof Yunus of international repute in a planned way."
"…it has become clear to all that the recent move to remove him [Yunus] as the managing director of Grameen Bank is the effort to bring down the curtain of the conspiracy against the Nobel laureate," Khaleda said, voicing her deep concern over the incident.
She continued: The 'unethical and discourteous' behaviour towards Yunus reflects some government high-ups' sheer jealousy against him and lack of knowledge about his contributions.
Referring to the role of Grameen Bank in changing the lots of poor people both at home and abroad, Khaleda said, "The organisation [Grameen Bank] has been in a constant effort to improve the state of the poor people, particularly of the womenfolk … organisations like Grameen Bank has been replicated in Africa, South America and even in the USA to alleviate poverty."
"But it's so unfortunate that the present prime minister [Sheikh Hasina], whenever she gets any chance, undermines the role of Grameen Bank and other microfinance institutions through her sweeping comments that do not match her position," observed Khaleda, also a former prime minister.
She alleged that the government had neither left any room for justice in the country nor had it been able to protect the name and fame of any respectable citizen.
The BNP chief said, "Grameen Bank is a non-government organisation with government stake in it. Although the chairman of the organisation is nominated by the government, it is virtually a self-governed organisation under the direct supervision of its board of directors."
"Its female members own 95 percent of its shares while the government has a scanty 3.5 percent stake. So, there is no reasonable ground to consider it as a government-owned organisation. The bid to label Grameen as a scheduled bank only reflects the ignorance about related rules and regulations," Khaleda added.
"The issue, I believe, should be kept above party politics and personal meanness," she said and called upon all irrespective of political affiliations and beliefs to unite against the heinous attempt to malign respected personalities.
She also hoped that the people of good conscience, teachers, employees, peasants, labourers, professionals, political activists and the members of Grameen Bank in particular, would unitedly foil the conspiracy against Yunus as well as Grameen Bank.
bdnews24.com/sm/sht/mr/1835h
|
