Dhaka, Dec 5 (bdnews24.com) — The allegation against Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus of 'diverting foreign aid from Grameen Bank to another company' should be investigated, the prime minister has said.
"Bangladesh has set many examples. Deceiving people by siphoning off their money is another such example. This is nothing but sucking out money from the people after giving them loans," she said replying to questions from journalists on Sunday.
"There has been no improvement in the lifestyle of the poor so far. They were just used as pawns to get more aids," Hasina added.
She was speaking at a press conference at her office on Sunday following her three-nation tour of Russia, Belgium and Japan.
"The people of Bangladesh have been made guinea pigs. I have never supported that. And now I protest," Hasina told journalists.
Naimul Islam Khan, editor of Amader Shomoy, said, "Initially, the government had 60 percent share of the Grameen Bank which now has shrunk to 25 percent. It seems Mr Yunus wanted to empty the government exchequer, if he could. The government, however, didn't let that happen."
He also asked whether the government would investigate the allegation raised against Yunus and his Grameen Bank.
Responding to the query, the prime minister said, "Grameen Bank had been grabbed in such a manner as if it's a personal property. This should also be investigated. The poor people are becoming paupers. They have been tricked by sweet talks. Finally, things are getting out."
Hasina compared Khaleda Zia's 'affection' for her cantonment house with Yunus' 'affection' for his Grameen Bank and said, "Grameen Bank is a public property. But it's being privatised out of 'love'. Yunus Sahib has fallen in love with Grameen Bank.
"One can't but get caught if play with the money of the poor," she added.
Norway's national TV NRK aired a documentary on November 30 titled "Fanget i Mikrogjeld" or "Caught in Micro debt", based on which bdnews24.com ran a report on December 1.
According to the documentary, Yunus transferred the money to Grameen Kalyan, which was in no way involved with microcredit operations.
Responding to the allegations, Grameen Bank claimed there was no wrongdoing in the agreement between the bank and Grameen Kalyan under which it received Tk 3,917 million from the bank.
"Decisions were taken by the Grameen Bank Board, with due deliberation, good faith, and with good intentions to benefit the poor," the Grameen Bank rejoinder said.
Awami League joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif on Saturday went as far as saying that Yunus 'corrupt' and said Yunus had no right to tarnish Bangladesh's image abroad. Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam also expressed his worry over the issue.
On the same day at another function, finance minister A M A Muhith, however, said he sees no issue in the diversion of Tk 7 billion aid from Grameen Bank to another company if the bank's claim of 'understanding' in this regard with the Norwegian government was to be true.
When the prime minister's attention was drawn to the conflicting comments made by her party stalwarts, Hasina said, "We want Bangladesh's image to brighten abroad. The finance minister also wanted the same when he made the comments."
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