Fakhrul says Prime Minister Hasina ‘jealous’ of Yunus’ Nobel Peace Prize

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is jealous o Muhammad Yunus because she believes ‘she deserves the Nobel Peace Prize more than him’.

“You identified him as the enemy. What’s the reason? The reason is, people say, you believe you deserve it more than Prof Yunus,” Fakhrul said at a discussion at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Wednesday.

“He (Yunus) is our pride. The whole world respects him, but you are blaming him (for blocking Padma Bridge fund),” Fakhrul said.

His reaction came after recent statements from the prime minister accusing Yunus of exerting his influence through the former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton to block the World Bank fund meant for the bridge.

Bangladesh is now funding the bridge project with its own resources.

When a section of the audience started giggling at Fakhrul’s statement, he said, “Don’t laugh, don’t laugh. She believes in that. She believes she deserves it for the so-called peace treaty in the CHT."

“Yunus became a better candidate than her, that was his fault,” he continued.

“Whatever way you want to insult him or harass him with cases or the NBR, you cannot stop Yunus as the whole world is with him,” the BNP leader said.

He also highlighted Grameen Bank’s contribution to Bangladesh’s economy.

“Those who will deny Grameen Bank’s contribution to Bangladesh will deny the reality,” he continued.

He also contradicted government growth claim and development data and said the picture was, in fact, gloomy.

He cited falling remittance as one of the indicators in favour of his claim.