PM Hasina invites Dr Yunus to a debate
“Being a prime minister is temporary. But I am the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. I do not sell my country. I do not compromise its interests,” she said
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has invited Grameen Bank founder and Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus to a debate.
"Our government did not do anything against Dr Yunus with any ulterior motive," she said today (25 June) during a press conference at her official Ganabhaban residence to inform the media of the outcome of her recent state visit to India.
"Grameen Bank was formed during Ershad's rule. They were looking for a managing director (MD) for the bank, and Dr Yunus was appointed to the role. He used to get salaries for the position," she said.
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"He [Yunus] is not the founder of Grameen Bank. It was an organisation registered under the government, and the government paid all salaries," Hasina said.
"While working as Grameen Bank MD, Dr Yunus publicised the bank as if he founded it," she added.
"The bank's documents mentioned an MD can only serve until they are 60 years old. He broke the law and stayed in power for another ten years until he was 70," the premier said.
"Bangladesh Bank brought this to his notice, and the then finance minister [Abul Maal Abdul Muhith] later approached him and proposed Dr Yunus to stay in the bank as an adviser. But he did not want to leave the position of MD," she added.
"Dr Yunus also filed two cases against the government, the finance minister and Bangladesh Bank. He lost both of those cases," Hasina said.
"I gave him the business of Grameen Phone after Grameen Bank almost collapsed under his directorship. The Awami League government gave him a total of Tk400 crore so that Grameen Bank stays afloat," PM Hasina said.
"Dr Yunus then proposed that the profit from Grameen Phone can be used to run Grameen Bank. I want to ask if any money from Grameen Phone came to Grameen Bank till this day," she added.
"Grameen Bank received lots of funds from abroad. Did he spend any of this money on the bank? He only launched new businesses with the money and did not pay any tax," Hasina said.
"He himself proved that he evaded tax because whenever any tax evasion incident came to light, he paid some amount and got it over with. This proves that he had indeed evaded tax," she said.
"The government never filed any cases against him. The cases that are currently under investigation were not filed by the government either," he added.
"The cases were filed by the labourers who did not get any money from the labour's fund since 2006," she said.
"The labourers filed cases with the labour court and he received punishment on those cases. What's my role in it?" she asked.
"Dr Yunus received the most support from me. If anything, we helped him promote Grameen Bank," she added.
"Now he [Yunus] has money, so he is making others write things. The statement written by Nobel laureates is an ad. If he were that popular, everyone on Earth would have been willing to come to his aid," said PM Hasina, adding that no one came to talk to her about Dr Yunus and the cases against him.
"Sheikh Hasina is not jealous of anyone. She is the daughter of the Father of the Nation. She is the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. No one can take her place, and this is my pride," she said.
"Being a prime minister is temporary. But I am the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. I do not sell my country. I do not compromise its interests," Hasina said.
On 28 August last year, over 170 global leaders, including more than 100 Nobel laureates, wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina demanding immediate halt to the ongoing judicial proceedings against Professor Muhammad Yunus.
"We are alarmed that he has recently been targeted by what we believe to be continuous judicial harassment. This letter attempts to build upon an earlier appeal to you by 40 global leaders who were concerned about his safety and freedom," reads the letter published on the blog site 'protectyunus.wordpress.com'.
The 174 signatories also raised concern about the Bangladeshi Nobel laureate's safety and freedom.
