Nobel winner Yunus wants to form political party in Bangladesh Sun Feb 11, 3:28 PM ET



DHAKA (AFP) - Bangladesh's "banker to the poor", Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, formally announced his willingness to form a new political party to take part in forthcoming elections.

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"I seek your support to form a political party. Please write letters or call me to give your opinion. I seek your support and advice. I am waiting for your response," Yunus told reporters, in comments addressed to the Bangladeshi people.

"If they say: go ahead, I will join politics... form a party. I am ready to take this risk. My politics will be to build a new country... set a new current in politics," the Nobel laureate told reporters.

Yunus and his Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for his pioneering work giving tiny loans to the very poor.

Yunus said his party would take part in the next elections, although a date for the vote has yet to be set. Polls originally scheduled for January were cancelled and a state of emergency imposed following months of political violence.

An interim government running the country has since embarked on a major anti-corruption campaign in a bid to clean up the country's notoriously corrupt political landscape ahead of new elections.

At least 25 high-profile politicians -- including nine former ministers with links to both the outgoing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the opposition Awami League -- have been detained in raids by the army, police and security forces since last weekend.

Yunus said he would not ally himself with any of the tainted and corrupt politicians, saying "my aim is to a build a new Bangladesh."

Bangladesh's powerful army has been seen as instrumental in the anti-corruption campaign, led by interim government chief Fakhruddin Ahmed -- a former central bank governor.

The new military-backed government has pledged to undertake a range of sweeping reforms, including depoliticising the civil service and introducing voter identity cards, to win back confidence in the troubled democracy and stage credible elections.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070211/en_afp/bangladeshpoliticsnobelyunus_070211140107

Open Letter from Dr. Yunus


Dear citizen,
I am writing this letter to you with the hope of receiving a personal reply from you. You might have noticed in what situation many people requested me to join politics and why I had to consider it with utmost importance. I, like you, witnessed where our political culture has brought the country and how it attempted to destroy the country's future possibilities. The way the present caretaker government is trying to create an acceptable atmosphere by carrying out necessary reforms has made me optimistic along with all citizens of the country. In this situation, I feel it with my heart that I should, showing due respect to the people's expectation of me, participate in the mission of taking the nation to the height it deserves. It is now clear to all that it is not possible to reach the goal maintaining the existing political culture; it is only possible by bringing a comprehensive change to the culture. Through my work and experience, I feel with all my heart that the people with their innate sense of endeavour and creativity can achieve the impossible if political goodwill, competent leadership and good governance can be established. If I have to form a political party in response to the people's desire, it will be dedicated to this very objective.



I have received pure love and respect from people of all ages ranging from the poorest to the most powerful, I do not know when again a Bangladeshi individual will have this good fortune. By the grace of Allah, I am a very fortunate man. There is nothing left for me to desire. I know that joining politics is to become controversial. I am ready to take the risk if you think me joining politics will help in ushering of a new political climate.


It is high time to form the proper political structure conducive to the huge task of building a Bangladesh we all dream of, by freeing ourselves from all past frustrations. I need the active participation and assistance of you and all others like you if I have to go forward with this mission. I need your advice on how I should go forward. I also want to know how you want to participate and assist in this task. The efforts of you and me to realise everybody's desire for a new politics in order to build a new Bangladesh will get strength if these can be learnt from you in the form of a letter.


You can give your advice in your own style on any topic regarding the formation of a new political party. I can point out some topics as examples: a) how the party can stay involved with the people of all villages and neighbourhoods and work to realise their expectations; b) how the party can be helpful to the common people in their daily struggle and in solving their problems; c) how the organisations of the party can be built on the basis of spontaneous devotion of men and women of all ages and professions; d) what can be done to encourage the eager, enthusiastic, honest and competent people of all levels to align with the party and to become active in it; e) how the honest and competent among them, having public support, can be nominated for different local and national elections; f) how can we ensure transparency and honesty of all the people involved with the party, and of the party itself; g) how democracy can be established within the party; h) how can the flow of opinions directly from the grassroots level be ensured; and i) how the officials and employees serving in state institutions can be prevented from turning into activists of political parties -- your thoughts and advice on many such questions are vital.


At the same time, it is important to know what role you (and your friends) can play in the party, how you can actively contribute or support, is also very important to know. For example, you can play the role: a) of a member of a village or neighbourhood-level organisation; b) of a pioneer of the party's welfare initiatives; c) of a local organiser; d) of an organiser of a community organisation; e) of an activist taking party calls widely among the people; f) of an adviserresearchertheoretician for the party; g) you can contribute to the party by using your special skills or expert knowledge in its service; h) by taking a leadership role in popularising the party as an enthusiastic supporter; i) by demonstrating your organising power; and so on.


I want to know your opinion and get your advice whether you are a political leader, activist, leader or worker of an association or organisation, industrialist, businessman, professor, teacher, shopkeeper, farmer, labourer, artist-writer-thinker, professional, journalist, service holder, housewife, teenager, youth or an expatriate Bangladeshi.


Please write a short or detail personal reply to my letter. Your friends, all members of your family, neighbours, classmates and colleagues can also put in their thoughts in the same letter. You can reply through email and distribute copies of it among all your acquaintances. You can also send a short reply through SMS and encourage all your acquaintances to do the same. You can send copies of my letter to your relatives and friends abroad and encourage them to reply. It will not be possible to come out clean from old politics if a strong momentum for a new politics is not created. We will not be able to reach our goal with feeble support.


I hope my letter and your reply to it will only be the beginning of our sincere communication. The communication established will be able to go forward actively towards a common goal from now on.


You can use my following address to send your reply or may arrange to send it to me in any other way.

Contact Address:
Dr Muhammad Yunus
HAL Mars
6/D, 66 Outer Circular Road
Moghbazar, Dhaka 1217
Fax: 9334656
Email: prof.yunus@gmail.com, dryunus2006@yahoo.com
You can call the following numbers for inquiries about the letter: 01713082277, 01717760870
Waiting for your reply.
With thanks and greetings,
Muhammad Yunus
February 11, 2007

I am not so sure about this. I don't want to see a good person get all tangled up in dirty politics. How is he suppossed to do well against Awami League and BNP? May be it's a start for Bangladesh to come out of this two party system. He has a long road ahead of him. But if it's anyone I am glad it's Dr. Yunus.

I am not so sure about this. I don't want to see a good person get all tangled up in dirty politics. How is he suppossed to do well against Awami League and BNP? May be it's a start for Bangladesh to come out of this two party system. He has a long road ahead of him. But if it's anyone I am glad it's Dr. Yunus.


I am really glad to see that he is willing to contest in the coming elections.I would really like more good people to join politics.I agree with Tmac that politics is dirty in Bangladesh,but someone has got to clean it.So I am with Yunus,would surely vote for him this time if he really does float a new party.

Un-Noble Corporate Nexus

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the self-proclaimed ‘banker to the poor’, has been awarded Nobel Peace Prize 2006 and following the announcement of the award mainstream media created an euphoria throughout in Bangladesh. The mainstream academia has also jumped on the bandwagon. The unrestrained wave of delight created by the mainstream of society representing the ruling class in the wake of Yunus' adornment with the coveted prize, has given it a ploy to camouflage its hollowness, intellectual shallowness and failure to govern the society it dominates. This ruling class is rotten to the core and morally and intellectually bankrupt. No wonder that in the era of neo-liberalism the opinion-makers and the dominant media, controlled by capital as they are, will be hyper-active to make people forget their woes and ‘feel good’. The award has provided a very good opportunity to them. The merriment-deluge washed away the sense of necessity that makes one analyze the significance of this world famous laurel which has been bestowed upon the founder-head of the Grameen Bank (GB).

Except a very few skeptics none will disagree that no other person has been adorned with so many awards and honorary degrees than Dr. Yunus, the teacher-turned-banker. The person advocating credit for the poor has so far won 68 awards, 28 honorary degrees and 15 felicitations from his motherland and other countries. Along with him the GB, his much acclaimed creation, has been awarded 8 national and international awards including Nobel Peace Prize 2006. These are, in a real sense, recognition of his efforts to contain the poor in a way that helps to maintain the status quo and identify an effective alternative institutional method for profitable investment of finance capital. So, the mainstream policy-makers have come to recognize the merit of this method. The method devised by him has proved effective to all concerned ranging from the UN poverty-crusaders to the Citibank, from the promoters of technology-not-friendly-to-environment to the finance capital investors. These ground realities made it necessary for a wide range actors to construct a mythical image of Dr Yunus and in doing so there was an avalanche of awards, honors, etc., for him, an unending supply of chairs in the boards of 'independent' and 'not for profit' foundations floated and supported by multinational corporations (MNC). Reports with illusory images of his warm friendship with kings and queens and presidents and first ladies were circulated giving the impression of a fairy tale of friendship between a prince and a 'pauper-son'. The target for these image-bombardments was the psycho-world of the common people. The corporate controlled pundits, media and opinion-makers have 'illuminated' the psycho-world of common people with illusions and high pitched propaganda to drain people of their reasoning, the power of questioning and the capacity of digging out truth. Sometimes the power-owners appear successful, at least for the time being. Relying on his magnified image Dr. Yunus has successfully become a broker in the world of international finance capital, in the marketing of technology and in the mainstream political economy. (It should be mentioned that brokering, lobbying, etc. are recognized and dignified professions in the western world.) Muhammad Yunus has been and is being awarded repeatedly for efficiently acting as a broker on behalf of big corporations of the west and as a chain reaction one award has attracted another.

No award is politics-, economics-, philosophy-, and ideology-neutral. While discussing an award it is worthwhile to take stock of the organizations or persons behind it, to whom it is awarded, and the reasons behind not awarding it to some other person than the one who has been tipped for it. Joseph Stalin was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize but was not awarded it. Jean Paul Sartre, and in the near past, Arundhati Roy, the defiant voice, refused the Nobel Prize and Sahiyata Academy Award of India respectively. All these facts demand an analysis. Dr. Yunus was awarded the World Food Prize, known as the Alternative Nobel Prize, in 1994 and the prize is patronized by 74 organizations including the 'famous' US agri-business company Monsanto, Cargill and other US large soyabean and farm products exporting companies, the Agriculture Research Service of the US government, a number of financing companies and the 'famous' Coca-Cola. Yunus took initiative to float a joint venture company to market harmful agricultural technologies (genetically engineered seeds, Roundup herbicide, ‘transgenic’ or ‘genetically modified’ plant species) of Monsanto, a company despised in the west, in Bangladesh after being bestowed with the Alternative Nobel prize. Even US $150,000 was accepted by him to set up Grameen Monsanto Center for Environment-Friendly Technologies. This 'pious' act of brokering was initiated during the second micro credit summit. Monsanto in its zeal to send 'poverty' to a museum approached Dr. Yunus, would be curator of ‘poverty museum’, and he did not hesitate to collaborate. An adventure indeed! But he was later compelled to make a retreat with 'dignity' following a flurry of criticisms from different parts of the world by the environmentalists. However, the former university teacher offered no explanation to the members of the public, not even to his constituency -- the poor in Bangladesh. Probably highly innovative minds need not engage in 'petty' acts like offering public apology for making profit at the expense of the environment and food security of the country. Nor do the poor have the opportunity to map the minds that win friendship of MNCs and kings and queens. But a number of personalities and organizations should be acclaimed for compelling the Nobel-man retreat and they include Vandana Shiva, the philosopher and environment activist; late AZM Obaidullah, a famous Bangali poet; and Nayakrishi Andolon, a movement for ecology-friendly agriculture in Bangladesh. The now-futile venture of the micro credit evangelist is a stark example of harming the agriculture of his motherland, endangering food security, creating dependency, and all these mighty tasks were planned to be initiated by offering 'free' technology through micro credit, the 'panacea' for the poor. The myth of 'telephone ladies' has been created with the same tact. These 'simple' acts tell the intimate tales of the friendship between the poor’s banker and the mighty rulers, and help to explain reasons why the corporate owned media and the pundits, who are ideologically linked, are untiringly singing the same mantra, propaganda and gospel to build up the cult of the banker for the humble. An in-depth enquiry will show that many of the individuals and organizations engaged in this campaign are connected to each other through business and financial concerns. The link here is, also, finance and business. Just as the World Food Prize was related to the marketing of Monsanto-technology among the farmers of Bangladesh, the One World Broadcasting Trust Media Award (1988) and the World Technology Network Award (2003) from Britain, the Telecinco Award (2004) from Spain, connected to marketing of mobile phone, the Economist Innovation Award (2004) and the Leadership in Social Entrepreneurship Award (2004) from the US and many other awards were meant to expand corporate business interest. The German telephone giant Deutsh Telecom and the US software giant Microsoft are the patrons of the Petersberg Prize which was awarded to the Grameen Bank in 2004.

Dr. Yunus has received the Seoul Peace Prize from Korea a few days after he had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Before he left for Seoul and after his return from there he did not forget to advice the caretaker government, mainly responsible to organize national election during its 90 days tenure, to take a quick decision on opening the Korean Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Bangladesh.

It seems that formal functioning of the Korean EPZ is the top priority of the friend of the poor as MNCs have unrestrained liberty to plunder the natural resources of the country under the guise of foreign investment, as corruption, kick backs and absence of transparency is the norm in these deals, and as many people in this country about half-a dozen poor villagers shed their lives to safeguard the rights of people on the Fulbari coal mine in the northern Bangladesh; as the people of the country do not know the consequences of the agreements with companies like Asia Energy, which was awarded with the Fulbari coal mine on terms highly unfavorable to Bangladesh. It is interesting to note that though there are awards for those who can help the MNCs to maximize profit, there is none for advocacy work to create pressure and realize compensation for the irreparable loss of natural resources due to MNC operation. For example, there has been no award for anyone protesting against the damage done to gas and to bio-diversity by MNCs in the Magurchhara and the Tengratila gas fields, in north-eastern Bangladesh, which blew out due to their callous handling of the well-digging work. There has been no prize for advocacy work to safeguard people's rights and environment in the Fulbari coal mine and its surrounding areas, there is no patron to support lobbying work in Washington D.C. in favor of the female workers in the garments factories who need safer working condition so that no worker has to be killed in fire accidents in the factories.

It is known to all that huge amounts of fund necessary for education and research in the universities in the west are often provided through grants, assistance, investments, etc. by many Foundations and Endowments set up by MNCs. Such donations obviously influence the activities of these universities. These financial supports influence, directly and indirectly, the ideology of the faculties, the boards of directors, the boards of regents, etc.; the decision-making process; curricula; and areas and subjects of research in the universities. The MNCs efficiently manipulate these bodies and process to advance their own interest. Awarding honorary degrees is an old tactic to build up someone's image or to polish someone's palm. There are precedents of awarding honorary degrees to despised and despotic rulers from different countries. Compared to those instances awarding Dr. Yunus scores of honorary degrees and awards seems to be 'small, innocent' act. However, there is a need to remain awake to the ramifications of such awards and honors instead of naively looking at them the as the 'recognition of a person’s extraordinary contribution’.

Muhammad Yunus was selected as one of the ''25 most influential businessmen in the world in the last 25 years.'' Wharton School of Business made this selection in 2004 for a documentary made for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), US. The rich and powerful tycoons in the list included Bill Gates, George Soros, Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Warren Buffertt, Michael Dell, Alan Greenspan, Lee Lacocca, Charles Schwab, Frederick Smith, and Sam Walton. The image of Dr. Yunus that has been built up gradually as a friend of the poor is, apparently, not in accordance with these rich people. Then, there comes the big question: what is the below-the-surface reason for his inclusion in this group of moneyed people? Is it a mere whim of a leading business school? But an analysis of the politico-economic factors brings forth a different answer: the efficient performance of Dr. Yunus as a new pathfinder for the investment of capital, as a broker and salesman of technology is the actual reason for his getting selected by the corporate circle as one of the 25 most influential businessperson in the last quarter century. The capacity of the Grameen Bank in this area is what has prompted the corporate circle to make its decision correctly.

A few more examples will help to show the close deals between Muhammad Yunus and the corporate world. He is a member of the advisory body of the Stockholm Challenge, the global network of the entrepreneurs of information and communication technology. The other members of the board include the senior vice-president of the chief research and science office of the San Microsystems, one of the leading computer companies; the president and CEO of Erickson; a member of the European parliament; a leading entrepreneur of Russia, Western Europe and the US. This list is enough for anyone to understand that safeguarding corporate interest, instead of pushing back poverty to a history museum is the main objective of this corporate network.

Dr. Yunus is co-president and a member of the advisory board of PlaNet Finance (PF), a French organization for financing micro credit programs. Sanofi-Aventis, a multinational pharmaceutical company, is one of the financing patrons of PF. Should anyone believe that Sanofi-Aventis and other multinationals are so eager to eliminate poverty from the face of the earth? One may pray that their eagerness should not be like that of Monsanto. If they are a bit less enthusiastic about poverty elimination that would a favor to the poor.

Dr. Yunus, as a member, adorns the advisory board of the Holcim Foundation, 'independent of business interest’ established and run by one of the biggest cement and construction material producers in this poverty-ridden world. The Swiss company's revenue in 2000 was US $ 8.2 billion. A look at the activities of the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations that have been criticized and condemned by many will help understand the reasons behind establishing such foundations and the type of activities they often carry out.

Apart from the close connections and deals with the MNCs Dr. Yunus has an organizational structure to turn micro credit into a vehicle for the investment of capital and marketing of technology produced by the MNCs. The Grameen Bank acts as a brand name or a franchise. Micro credit programs, broadly designed after the Grameen model are now being run in more than 100 countries, in continents east and west, in the north and the south. While Bill Clinton initiated it in the US state of Arkansas, the Reserve Bank of India, 'inspired' with the neo-liberal ideology, has liberalized their rules so that the program can be introduced among the starving tea farm workers in north-eastern India and among the poor in south India. It is a single string tying all: finance capital, the idle-capital seeking interest.

The Grameen Foundation USA (GFUSA) was established in 1997 to propagate and to expand the activities of interest seeking finance capital among the poor. Dr. Yunus is one of the founder-members and board members of this Foundation, a strategic partner of the GB. This Foundation has now spread out its credit net over 7 million breathing souls in 22 countries through 52 networks. This Foundation invests finance capital among the poor through its marketing of telephone, and through its window of micro credit which is financed by the capital market and commercial banks. It is closely connected with the Citibank, one of the largest financing organizations in the world. Along with Dr. Yunus, some former or present executives of Kane Property Company, GuideStar, Citibank, Microsoft, Citigroup, Calvert Funds and similar other large corporations and financing organizations are on the board of this Foundation. One can guess the power and brokering capacity of this Foundation from the fact that it is closely connected with the Clinton Global Initiative from the days of its inception. Former US president Clinton recommended Yunus for the Nobel award in 2005 for the second time though this move of Clinton went beyond all norms. Because Clinton was not empowered to make such a recommendation as Amartya Sen had been. While this act of recommendation was under way the GFUSA and Citibank joined hands as partner of the Clinton Initiative to jointly invest US $ 50 million and, if possible, $ 300 million, as micro credit. This Foundation has a special role in mobilizing capital, expanding GB-model micro credit all over the world, building up image of micro credit and its guru, and making public relations work. There is a similar type of power brokering house of Dr. Yunus in Australia to mobilize international power.

Undoubtedly, Dr. Yunus has become a blue-eyed boy of the corporate world for his excellent performance and innovations in the field of investment and marketing of finance capital and technology among the poor through micro credit. The third world is not a risk-free area for investment. The defaulting industrialists in Bangladesh are a stark example of this. There are other relevant questions that need to be addressed before an investment is made. The risk of socio-political upheavals in the country in question, the carrying capacity of the economy, the market size, etc. demand serious attention. Dr. Yunus has a 'magic wand' that creates an ensured market, an ensured return, an almost full return of the capital, an instant return, and all these he has done with his 'panacea' -- micro credit. This is what makes him dear to the corporate world and the corporate world is paying him back with laurels, awards, honors, etc. and facilitating his job by building up a larger-than-life image of the salesman. Thus, the underfed, undernourished multitude is fed with the fairy tales of friendship between the 'banker to the poor' and the spellbound kings, queens, presidents and first ladies. The Nobel Peace Prize to Dr. Yunus has reaffirmed this fact only. Courtesy: Countercurrents.org

The Yunus story

This award proves again the Goebbelsian dictum that a lie uttered a thousand times becomes more credible than truth. This Nobel Peace Prize for Yunus and his bank, on a "Friday the 13th", is a slap in the face of those who have been trying to bring the Third World out of the strangling grip of the global hegemons -- the IMF, World Bank and others -- who hate to see the Third World slipping out of their grip to become self-reliant with good accountable governments, rule of law and respect for human rights.
The NGO business is the biggest business in the Third World. The IMF and World Bank, and most multi-nationals do not want too many Chinas, Taiwans, Malaysias, Thailand, Venezuelas, or even Singapores and South Koreas. They love countries like Bangladesh, Philippines, Egypt, Indonesia and Pakistan, who either buy arms, technology and expertise from the West, or do not build industrial infrastructure and good governance. There is NO substitute for good (honest and efficient) and accountable government. Why did the Asian dragons and tigers not adopt NGOs and micro credit for development - is the billion dollar question.
Having written this, I am happy for Bangladesh; this Nobel Prize (given for the wrong reason though) will bring a good name for the country, which is unfortunately only known for its poverty and corruption.
I pose the following questions to those who unnecessarily glorify Dr Yunus and his bank:
Do you know in most cases it is the husband / father/elder brother who controls the Grameen loan taken in the name of his wife/daughter/sister? Do you know the bank charges around 30% interest? Do you know that Grameen borrowers lend the borrowed money at 80% to 100% interest to fellow villagers? Do you know any other business where someone can still make a living by borrowing at 30% interest rate? Do you know in some villages (especially in Sylhet) men take three/four wives to get Grameen loan to run their lucrative money-lending business? Do you know that the poorest of the poor (as touted by Yunus, Clinton and others) are not eligible for Grameen loan as they cannot repay their loans in 52 installments at 30% interest? Do you know that only middle peasants (with some lands or assets) are eligible for the credit?
Had there been such business, one would have borrowed thousands of dollars through credit cards to become rich overnight. I would like to recommend for the Nobel Peace Prize (why not the Economics prize?!) for all the credit card companies, as they charge around 18 -20% and nothing happens to the defaulters. There are many people in the lower income group who somehow survive through credit cards, by borrowing and paying off the debts. And we have no reason to celebrate the performance of Amex, Visa or Master Card for their "noble and humane" acts of "empowering the poor through credit". It is a "shame" that credit card companies who charge less than 20% interest on average are never considered for any prize anywhere in the world!
While Grameen defaulters have to part with their ornaments, tin sheds, goats or cattle or even utensils, many credit card defaulters simply get away with by paying nothing. After staying four or five years in the state of bankruptcy, they again become credit-worthy. All these assertions by me are buttressed by hard evidence from my field work and personal experience in Bangladesh.
Why do you think Monsanto, the giant US corporation, engaged in marketing genetically modified seeds (disastrous in the long run as farmers will have to buy the seeds before every sowing season), is a big promoter of micro credit? Why does Grameen Bank pay NO income tax to Bangladesh? Why did Grameen Phone ( a joint Bangladesh-Norway cell phone company) pay no income tax till this year? This is the largest cell phone company in Bangladesh, charging for local incoming calls as well. Is there a link between this award and Grameen Phone's (Dr Yunus's cell phone company) partnership with the Norwegian telephone company, Nortel? Do you know that Nortel has been siphoning off millions of dollars to Norway without paying any income tax to Bangladesh? And all this money laundering is done in the name of charity?
What a shame, what a disgrace!
Instead of jointly robbing Bangladesh through this Shylockian project of mega lending to rip off the poor in Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Grameen Bank, had the donor agencies (the real vultures in the production-growth-development arena) been really sincere in developing poor countries like Bangladesh, they would have helped to modernize the Bangladesh government run telecommunication system. But then Nortel, for obvious reasons, found it convenient to invest in the Grameen cell phone company in Bangladesh. And sadly, this happened through the active collaboration of Dr Muhammad Yunus.
Why did Dr Yunus try to introduce Monsanto seeds in Bangladesh? And finally he had to scrap this project due to opposition.
If micro-credit could alleviate poverty, why on earth do hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis go to Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or Singapore, borrowing hundreds of thousands of takas (two hundred thousand per head, on average) to work in menial jobs? If borrowing fifty or sixty dollars could alleviate poverty, why are they doing this? Are they stupid?

I am not so sure about this. I don't want to see a good person get all tangled up in dirty politics. How is he suppossed to do well against Awami League and BNP? May be it's a start for Bangladesh to come out of this two party system. He has a long road ahead of him. But if it's anyone I am glad it's Dr. Yunus.


That was my initial reaction as well. AL and BNP use bribery, violence and intimidation to get votes in a lot of constituencies. Their gangs, who come in the form of party workers and student bodies, are ruthless in their pursuit of victory. How will a noble and peaceful man like Dr. Yunus compete with these animals? He isn't in the same league as the illiterate as the leaders of the two main parties we have today.

But then, a country can only change when its best people step forward to lead it. Perhaps he won't make a dent in this year's elections but I'm still glad that he has chosen to make the sacrifice and enter the nasty and controversial world of politics. If he wins, the country will be led by a person with global recognition, economic experience, and, above all, a college-degree (it's pathetic we have to cheer something like that last quality/characteristic).

how will yunus make a difference for the common man?

I welcome his decision. Hopefully, politics won't be so dirty in the near future because the current govt. is doing a good job punishing the corrupt people and many of them are on the run, and according to todays newspaper corrupt individuals will not be able to contest the upcoming elections, so hopefully in a clean political scenario, Yunus will be able to do good job. The most important thing for him will be to take advantage of our booming economy and drive the country forward. Also think how good it would be to find an alternative of AL and BNP- is it not what we always wanted? Insha Allah the dawn of Bangladesh has come....and the whole world will watch at awe the rising sun. I just can't wait for this sun to reach its height.

1. He loves people and respects people.
2. He loves Bangladesh.
3. He is dynamic.
4. From how had coped with the situation in arms infetsed Tangail 1970s, I assume he should be able to handle the political hosility and free our country from the grips of the greedy bastards (for the lack of a better phrase).
5. His knowledge, skills, experience - proven, proven, proven.

We need good people in politics. Enough is enough. We want to pewk when look at our politicians. They don't respect us. They don't respect anybody.

Lets trash these criminals and move forward. We still have a lot to achieve. Like Prof. WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

I have the same fear as TMac - but like mirza has mentioned - someone has to do it. Inshallah Prof. Yunus can do it!!! We can do it!!!

how will yunus make a difference for the common man?

Dopekhor, I can understand your skepticism...but who else is there that can make any difference? Khaleda Zia? Sheikh Hasina? Ershad? Who else is deserving an opportunity to run our country? Have they come forward? Who else can be the leader? Have they spoken up? Who do you suggest be our leader for next 5-10 years?

The only reason we are talking about Dr. Yunus is because he has come forward and expressed his interest in running our country. Is there anyone else who has expressed the same interest?....well other than Awami League and BNP? Can we still trust these two parties? Can we trust the other political parties? If there was another person out there deserving with intention of being the leader, then we would be talking about him/her too. The fact of the matter is we need a change and Dr. Yunus is the only one who is a new face with expressed interest in bringing in the changes. There is no one else.

i totally agree with you tmac

A funny thought came in my mind.... If Prof. Yunus really joins politics and forms his own party, I think Awami League and BNP will form an alliance to oppose him. The old saying --- chore chore mashtuto bhai. Do they know how much people hate these criminals? Do they even care?

Often times we hear people saying - "anybody goes to the office will do the same thing" or "if you get the chance you will steal too...". Our hopes are high. All those negatives are going to go for ever. We have a lot of good and capable people.

They can't do anything hopefully, both great leaders Zia and Mujib created the parties with good intentions but their successors have turned those to corrupt organisations, now the people are happily watching the end of a corrupt era and the rise of a new one in which our country shall flourish.

They can't do anything hopefully, both great leaders Zia and Mujib created the parties with good intentions but their successors have turned those to corrupt organisations, now the people are happily watching the end of a corrupt era and the rise of a new one in which our country shall flourish.

Yes Dhakaiya,INSHALLAH this time,we will get a great new start.The present govt. is making sure that corrupt people are on the run, so I dont see any possibility of them participating and winning in the coming elections.As for all these SO CALLED-ENLIGHTENING STORIES about dr.yunus,I would say some people are doing the same thing they do to our cricket team.When they lose a match,they call them INCAPABLE,when they win a match,they say the opponent was bribed.6 million people in BD employed through micro credit and they still have to make some stories about how evil capitalists have got 60lakhs slaves.If taking back the money lent along with interest seems so cruel to them,then why dont they give the poor billions of dollars out of their empty Communist Pockets for free?We have had enough,its high time we ask these ALL TIME CRITICS to get the hell outta here,as we start our journey towards a brighter future,with the winning of this Nobel prize,and the estabilishment of this new government.

Dopekhor, I can understand your skepticism...but who else is there that can make any difference? Khaleda Zia? Sheikh Hasina? Ershad? Who else is deserving an opportunity to run our country? Have they come forward? Who else can be the leader? Have they spoken up? Who do you suggest be our leader for next 5-10 years?
to be honest with you Aiub Khan contributed to the development of Bangladesh more then any leader, Ershad comes second.

A country like Bangladesh doesnt need democracy, look at Singapore, Malaysia, Middle East they dont have democracy their economies are thriving.


Look at Pakistan it has achieved more under military rule then democracy.

to be honest with you Aiub Khan contributed to the development of Bangladesh more then any leader, Ershad comes second.

A country like Bangladesh doesnt need democracy, look at Singapore, Malaysia, Middle East they dont have democracy their economies are thriving.


Look at Pakistan it has achieved more under military rule then democracy.

Look, life isn't all about development, there are other things as well, such as justice, equality and freedom- for that democracy is nescessary. All right, lets say I accept what you said about Aiub Khan and Ershad but was there peace in there time- NO, the reason is simple, there was no justice. Development must be development oriented for the people, for the people, by the people. In 1971, we did not fight for development, we fought for justice, equality. Yes- development has to be there- but in a democratic environment. LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY! LONG LIVE BANGLADESH!:cheers:

Look, life isn't all about development, there are other things as well, such as justice, equality and freedom- for that democracy is nescessary. All right, lets say I accept what you said about Aiub Khan and Ershad but was there peace in there time- NO, the reason is simple, there was no justice. Development must be development oriented for the people, for the people, by the people. In 1971, we did not fight for development, we fought for justice, equality. Yes- development has to be there- but in a democratic environment. LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY! LONG LIVE BANGLADESH!:cheers:
do you think the all these years under democracy people in BD got justice, equality and all the other things?

Thats why we're rejoicing at the coming of Yunus. Now we will Insha Allah! Its a ray of hope for us!

Thats why we're rejoicing at the coming of Yunus. Now we will Insha Allah! Its a ray of hope for us!
explain your views i dont see how yunus can make a difference

I agree with Dhakaiya that development is not the only important thing,democracy is needed along with it.As for the theory that military rule can bring development,such may only be possible if its a puppet regime in power and bows to whatever the west demands.For otherwise,any country with a military ruler in power may face international sanctions that may wash away its dreams of development.I dont think the Bangladeshi people want any thing of that sort.I also seriously doubt the claim that Ayub Khan in the 60s carried out most of the development we see today.According to most of the daily newspapers,and economists,the Bangladeshi economy started to witness growth and boom since the early 90s.Anyone old enough to remember things before 1990 would surely have seen and noted the changes that took place in the country from that year onwards.As for yunus,i believe he can make a difference for the comman man by being less corrupt than the previous governments or by following the footsteps of the present caretaker govt.What do you guys thinks?

..... Anyone old enough to remember things before 1990 would surely have seen and noted the changes that took place in the country from that year onwards......

I'm old enough. I remember seeing children dying in mother's arms on the raodsides. Mothers dying while breastfeeding their children. Rikshawala eating two rooti with a roshogolla for his lunch. Many of you have only read about them or seen them in Zainul Abedin's painting. I can tell you a lot lot more. Like Prof. Yunus has said, we need to make them the thing of the past and archive them in poverty museum.

Today, It makes me so happy when I see so many people talking with so much confidence. People dreaming a lot more more. We still have a long way to go... but still I think people have more respect for each other than before.

However, perhaps this is a short list of what we are looking for:

1. A corruption free Bangladesh.
2. Justice and human rights for EVERYONE.
3. Development in all areas.
4. Development in all areas - education, economic, communication,... all the other areas that is there.
5. more
6. and more
7....
....... we are not asking for too much at all. We are good people and we deserve better.

We are sick and tired of the existing political parties.

It doesn't have to be Prof. Yunus. He is one good and capable person who has come forward. If somebody else can show some results, we are willing to examine him/her too. INSHALLAH WE WILL ACHIEVE OUR GOAL.

You are right Meghnarmaji and Mirza. This is the time for Bangladesh to emerge for the Martyrs are calling "Bangladesh Arise".

Was it Ayub Khan who was behind the "Second Capital" project that saw the construction of the parliament building and the surrounding areas?

It was PLANNED in 1961 and COMPLETED in 1982. So maximum construction was done in Bangladeshi period. Ayub Khan however wanted to improve the grandeur of the two capitals while his people in the Eastern wing died in hunger, famine and suffered from injustice.

To me,Democracy is a must for development all round. From my perception, development doesnt mean only an economic boom; freedom of any person or any type of media (newspapers,books and TV channels) to express opinions is the greatest gift of democracy.
I just came to know Mr. Yunus's party's name would be 'Nagoric Shakti'. I hope its success though there is a big question storming in my mind...will it be able to end the 'sirajuddoula-mir jafar' story of 250 years, as still there is a long long way to go...

To me,Democracy is a must for development all round. From my perception, development doesnt mean only an economic boom; freedom of any person or any type of media (newspapers,books and TV channels) to express opinions is the greatest gift of democracy.
I just came to know Mr. Yunus's party's name would be 'Nagoric Shakti'. I hope its success though there is a big question storming in my mind...will it be able to end the 'sirajuddoula-mir jafar' story of 250 years, as still there is a long long way to go...

I don't understand. End what story? How does that part of history relate to current events?

I think he means the dark era which started from then because before that Bengal had a glorous history. However, it doesn't matter. A few hundred years of corruption & misrule will be nothing compared to the great and glorious future I envisage for my country.

ya I mean this dark era.Because, what I can figure out whenever I study an incident (far past or near past), I find it was just another staging of the Palashi incident of 1757. There were always two parties inside ours; one party having small vision and selfish attitude complicated all the cases...our goals were reached when they failed, and vice versa.

But what Mr. Yunus has to do with it...because I fear it may be staged again. As he needs a lot of angels to form that kind of fair, corruption-free, sacrificing politics...whereas most of grassroot level political activists of present existing political culture see politics as a means of earning money...so my question is like this when simplified, will he get a lot angels or another set of angel-looking oiling corrupts?

Be optimistic. You see, dreams don't turn to reality if you don't start dreaming in the first place! So lets be hopeful!!

Be optimistic. You see, dreams don't turn to reality if you don't start dreaming in the first place! So lets be hopeful!!

Well said!

Yeah, lets be optimistic...

I hope the caretaker government is able charge, convict and sentence these criminals to jail so that they can not run in the upcoming election.

i hope the caretaker government can also catch all the big fish instead of thousands of small fish

By the way, since when did asian Sky Bazaar turn into Bangladesh forum?
It looks like you guys need a forum of your own.

Yeah, we definitely do, its not "General" Discussion anymore...

The caretaker govt. is doing well. Yunus said he does not need to enter politics anymore.

If Muhammad Yunus rules Bangladesh, I can give you 100% guarantee that Bangladesh will become a successful developed nation in 20 years. For what he has done to help the poor by giving loans. He is very popular everywhere now. A great leader will focus more on the economy, and not giving much attention to politics. Elect him.

Nobel laureate drops party hopes
Muhammad Yunus arrives in South Korea on Wednesday to collect another award
Mr Yunus has appealed for unity
Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize winner and micro credit expert Muhammad Yunus has announced that he has abandoned plans to form his own political party.

In an open letter to his supporters, Mr Yunus said that he did not believe he had enough support for his movement, Nagarik Shakti (Citizen's Power).

His party was formally launched in February pledging to clean up politics.

Mr Yunus had planned to have candidates standing in every seat in elections for which no date has yet been set.

'Losing enthusiasm'

The vote was put off in January after violence between supporters of Bangladesh's two largest political parties.

"I am standing aside from my efforts to form a political party," Mr Yunus in an open letter to the public.

Political confrontation in Bangladesh
Mr Yunus said that people wanted a way out of instability

"I have seen those who initially encouraged me gradually losing their enthusiasm.

"I decided to enter into politics because of your support," he said, "but I came to understand that it is not possible and so accepting this reality I decided not to go forward," he said.

Mr Yunus and his Grameen Bank, which specialises in lifting people out of extreme poverty by giving small loans to the very poor, were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last October.

'Not interested'

His decision to enter politics followed the crisis in January that led to a state of emergency imposed by a military-backed interim government.


Muhammad Yunus
I have found out that the people required to present a strong and bright alternative will not be by my side
Muhammad Yunus

"People gave me inspiration to enter politics (but) when I contacted them I did not get much response and they were not interested in joining the party. Others would not leave their existing political party," he said in the statement.

Mr Yunus said in February that his new party would offer an alternative to the two main political parties - the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Awami League - which have dominated Bangladesh's notoriously corrupt political system for more than 30 years.

But correspondents say that many people questioned whether he had over-estimated his popularity in rural areas, where his bank's high interest rates are disliked.

They also pointed to the difficulty of breaking the Awami League and BNP's stranglehold on power.

Bangladesh's interim government has said it will only hold elections once corruption has been eradicated in the country.

It has arrested scores of politicians, civil servants and businessmen as part of its anti-corruption drive.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6623341.stm

It was expected. He didn't get favorable response from the general public about his political ambition. Well, we need a viable alternative of the two main parties and it was a good try.