I have no desire for a Nobel Prize, says Sheikh Hasina

The prime minister sees no reason to be jealous of Muhammad Yunus and dares to a debate

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has responded to several allegations made against the government in an article published by Time Magazine about Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

The article, which insinuates Hasina’s jealousy over Yunus’s 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, is titled, ‘From ‘Banker to the Poor’ to ‘Bloodsucker’: The Sorry Saga of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus'.

While speaking at a press conference about her recent visit to India at the Ganabhaban on Tuesday, the premier retorted: “I don’t have any conflict with anyone, and I have no desire for a Nobel Prize. I don’t have the money to hire a lobbyist, and I have never wanted this.”

“He is spending money to publish these articles,” said Hasina.

The prime minister also spoke of the time when there were talks of awarding her a Nobel Peace Prize following the signing of the Chattogram Hill Tracts Peace Accord in 1997.

“After the deal was signed, several people wrote about me at home and abroad. But I never went to promote myself. What I have achieved and what I haven’t isn’t something that occupies my mind,” she added.

“1,800 armed cadres surrendered their weapons to me after the agreement was signed. I have rehabilitated all of them socially and financially. I brought back the 64,000 refugees who were in India and helped them resettle.”

“At that time, many people came to me. But I said I don’t need any prize. There is a political agenda behind the Nobel Prize. It is not about the amount of contribution they have made. So, I have no desire for it,” she remarked.

A DEBATE CHALLENGE

Hasina also challenged Prof Yunus to a debate.

“What’s there to be jealous about him? He can come and sit down for a debate with me, as they do in America,” the prime minister said.

“Sheikh Hasina is not jealous of anyone. Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. This is my pride. I don’t sell off my country or its interests.”

“Yunus has money, so he is publishing these articles. If he is so popular, why print the names of other Nobel laureates? This is advertising,” she added.

IS HIS POLITICAL FAILURE MY FAULT?

Time Magazine also reported that Hasina had conflicts with Yunus during his botched attempt to form a political party in 2007 during the military-run caretaker government.

Referring to the report, Hasina said: “Why did he fail to form a political party? If he had done so much for rural Bangladesh, the people would have supported him. So, why did they not come?

"This is because they were struggling to pay off the interest (on microloans). This is why no one came to support him. How is his political failure my doing? I was in jail then.”

The head of the government also questioned the Grameen Bank founder’s investments outside of Bangladesh.

“Has anyone questioned where he is getting the money from? How did he earn this money? He should answer these questions.”

WHY WRITE SO MUCH ABOUT A CONVICTED PERSON?

Hasina also questioned why the Time Magazine’s journalist wrote so much about Yunus, who is facing embezzlement and money laundering charges.

“He was convicted in the labour court. Not the government court. We have signed the ILO conventions, and per the protocols, we are obliged to protect the interests of the workers. We can’t do anything about it,” said Hasina.

"His employees filed the case. So many people talk about human rights and the rights of labourers. But where are they now? Why aren't they supporting the labourers?" she asked.

Highlighting that Yunus was drawing a salary from the government for Grameen Bank, Hasina told reporters: “Grameen Bank is a statutory body of the government. The government paid the salaries. He has promoted Grameen Bank in such a way as if he had done it all himself.”

She also spoke of the Tk 4 billion investment which was injected into Grameen Bank when it suffered consecutive losses.

“After the investment, Yunus proposed that the profits from Grameenphone be used to run the bank. He should be asked whether Grameenphone has given a single penny for Grameen Bank.

She then provided the answer herself: "They have not given anything.”

“How much of the grant money he got from abroad went to Grameen Bank? He has dodged taxes every time he opened a business through Grameen Bank,” she alleged.

“He himself has proved that he hasn’t paid the taxes. He paid some of it whenever a case was filed. So when he paid some of that money, it automatically proved that he had evaded tax payments. The same happened with Grameenphone when he was made to pay the taxes several times.”

Hasina continued: “I have contributed the most to where he is today. Globally, people were not as receptive to his Microcredit Summit. I co-chaired and brought the proposal to the UN. I convinced everyone. I thought this was good and would alleviate poverty in the country.”

“But then I saw that it instead exacerbates poverty. These workers work day and night to pay off their debt with high interest rates. When they cannot pay the first instalment, the interest rate doubles as they pay it off with another loan. Then they have to pay 40 to 45 percent interest for the loan.”

“Has anyone looked into the families in Jashore who were given the microcredit by Hillary Clinton? They sold all of their land and were forced to flee. Some of them have committed suicide after failing to pay the interest.”