Bangladesh's microcredit good example to world
Naim-Ul-Karim | Saturday, 19 July 2008
Microcredit operation that helped to bring changes in the socio-economic life of the people in Bangladesh can be a good example to the rest of the world in setting mechanisms to fight poverty, said chief of Norwegian Nobel Committee Friday.
Professor Ole Danbolt Mjos said this after talking to a large number of women borrowers of Grameen Bank at its Dakkhin Kalia village centre under Dhamrai thana.
The Chairman of the Nobel committee, who arrived in Dhaka on July 15 to attend the inaugural ceremony of Nobel Peace Prize Exhibition, Friday spent a couple of hours with several hundred female members of Grameen Bank in Dhamrai alongwith his colleagues.
Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Bente Erichsen, director of Norwegian Nobel Committee, Ingebjorg Stofring, ambassador of Royal Norwegian Embassy to Dhaka, Depal Chandra Barua, deputy managing director of Grameen Bank, among others, were present at the field trips.
A number of women borrowers informed the Nobel committee chairman that their lives have changed for the better after getting microenterprise loan from Grameen Bank.
Fazila Begum, a local Union Parishad (UP) member, said it is a matter of immense pleasure that Grameen Bank and its founder Yunus 'sir' were awarded the Nobel peace prize.
Begum, also a micro-credit borrower, remembered her past days when she suffered much due to poverty and narrated how her life has changed with loans obtained from Grameen Bank when no one was willing to lend her money to earn her own living.
Another borrower Ferdousi Begum said: "I started trading business by getting loans from Grameen Bank with the assistance of my husband. Now I am leading a happy life as we are free from poverty."
After a patient hearing to the women borrowers, chief of Nobel committee said, "You are the future of Bangladesh and future of the whole world. Many countries and many people will learn from you."
He added: "I think there will be no other place in the world except Bangladesh where we can look for an example on how the lives of people have changed."
"I feel proud of you and I am very much impressed the way you have struggled to bring changes in the socio-economic status of your family."
Professor Ole Danbolt Mjos said this after talking to a large number of women borrowers of Grameen Bank at its Dakkhin Kalia village centre under Dhamrai thana.
The Chairman of the Nobel committee, who arrived in Dhaka on July 15 to attend the inaugural ceremony of Nobel Peace Prize Exhibition, Friday spent a couple of hours with several hundred female members of Grameen Bank in Dhamrai alongwith his colleagues.
Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Bente Erichsen, director of Norwegian Nobel Committee, Ingebjorg Stofring, ambassador of Royal Norwegian Embassy to Dhaka, Depal Chandra Barua, deputy managing director of Grameen Bank, among others, were present at the field trips.
A number of women borrowers informed the Nobel committee chairman that their lives have changed for the better after getting microenterprise loan from Grameen Bank.
Fazila Begum, a local Union Parishad (UP) member, said it is a matter of immense pleasure that Grameen Bank and its founder Yunus 'sir' were awarded the Nobel peace prize.
Begum, also a micro-credit borrower, remembered her past days when she suffered much due to poverty and narrated how her life has changed with loans obtained from Grameen Bank when no one was willing to lend her money to earn her own living.
Another borrower Ferdousi Begum said: "I started trading business by getting loans from Grameen Bank with the assistance of my husband. Now I am leading a happy life as we are free from poverty."
After a patient hearing to the women borrowers, chief of Nobel committee said, "You are the future of Bangladesh and future of the whole world. Many countries and many people will learn from you."
He added: "I think there will be no other place in the world except Bangladesh where we can look for an example on how the lives of people have changed."
"I feel proud of you and I am very much impressed the way you have struggled to bring changes in the socio-economic status of your family."