From Fazle Rashid
NEW YORK, Mar 09: The New York Times (NYT) which has been following the Yunus-Government battle over "control" of the Grameen Bank, the bank founded by the Nobel Laureate, ran a four column story today on his removal to heap scorn on the government.
With its 8.3 million borrowers almost all of them poor women and $10 billion
in loans, Grameen plays a strong role in Bangladesh's economic and political life.
Foreign governments including the United States have spoken in support of Yunus and called on officials to treat him fairly, said the NYT in its report today. Despite a great many conversations we have had with our "friends" in Bangladesh, there has been a deterioration in the situation, the Financial Times quoted, Robert Blake, the US assistant secretary of state for South Asia as saying in its report today.
The US has criticised Bangladesh's handling of the affair.
The US is troubled by government's attempt to remove Yunus which it saw as out of step with government's behaviour on other front, notably poverty reduction. Yunus an economist celebrated around the world for popularizing microfinance who has fallen out of favour with the government in the country, the NYT said.
The Grameen Bank has a special quasi-public status, with government owning 25 per cent shares in its paid-up capital.
The United States has made it known that it would like to preserve the integrity and independence and effectiveness of the bank. Robert Blake said the US is concerned about the dispute which were shared by the Obama administration and the Congress.
The Bangladeshi diaspora here organised protest rallies including a well-attended one in New York, in front of the United Nations headquarters condemning Yunus's removal. Even the Awami League sympathisers have expressed 'guarded support' for government action.
Removal of Yunus troubles US admn
From Fazle Rashid | Published: March 10, 2011 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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