Stop attempts to ‘usurp’ institutions founded by Dr Yunus, call 34 eminent citizens

Thirty four eminent citizens of the country have urged the government and all authorities concerned to stop all sorts of harassment against Nobel laureate Dr Mohammad Yunus.

They also called upon the authorities to stop the endeavor to ‘usurp’ the institution founded by Dr Yunus.

The eminent citizens made the call through a statement sent to the media on Sunday.

The signatories said the news reports pertaining to ‘attempts to usurp’ several institutions founded by Dr Yunus have come to their notice.

As part of the plan, attempts were made to barge into Grameen Kalyan, Grameen Telecom and other offices in Grameen Telecom building and political gatherings were held in front of the building.

In continuation of the move, Grameen Bank’s current chairman AKM Saiful Majid held a press conference and claimed that there were changes in the posts of chairman in these institutions.

The statement reads that it has been clarified on behalf of Dr Yunus that the Grameen Bank does not have the authority to change the chairmen of these institutions as per the amended ‘Article of Association’ of the organisations.

Yet, Grameen Bank authorities could have resorted to the court if it had any legal claim. But the way the issue is being dealt with to usurp the institutions founded by Dr Yunus is illegal and unethical, the statement adds.

The signatories also condemned the ‘defamatory’ allegations brought against Dr Yunus by Grameen Bank’s current chairman AKM Saiful Majid.

The statement also said that Yunus was harassed by various government bodies before this in the name of seeking his bank details, investigation and interrogation. A criminal case was filed against him on a civil charge related to labour law, and an attempt was made to dispose of the case unusually hastily.

Also, various propagandas against Dr Yunus continue from different quarters of the government. The signatories said they feel that the recent attempts to take control of the institutions of Dr Yunus are not isolated from these incidents.

The statement said Dr Yunus has brightened the image of Bangladesh by working for the ultra-poor and neglected section of the society. Now various untoward actions against him and the institutions he founded in the garb of legal and administrative action are harming his works and sending a negative message to the world.

The signatories are: Rights activist Hamida Hossain, former adviser to a caretaker government Hafiz Uddin Khan, former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumdar, Citizen for Good Governance (SHUJAN) secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik, Sara Hossain, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, professor Ali Riaz, professor Shapan Adnan, professor Firdous Azim, photographer Shahidul Alam, Dhaka University professor CR Abrar, professor Asif Nazrul and professor Shahnaz Huda, human rights activists Sharmeen Murshid, Shirin Haque, Sanjeeb Drong, Zakir Hossain, Md Noor Khan, Rehnuma Ahmed, Farida Akhtar, pediatrician Naila Z Khan, anthropologist Sayema Khatun, Chittagong University professor Maidul Islam and R Razi, Jahangirnagar University teacher Nasrin Khandoker, researcher Rozina Begum, journalist Saydia Gulrukh, lawyer Salma Ali, Tabarak Hussain, Subrata Chowdhury, banker Syed Abu Naser Bukhtear Ahmed, Arup Rahee and Rezaur Rahman Lenin.