Updated (January 21, 2011): Robert O. Blake Jr., Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs: “The investigation into the Nobel prize-winning Grameen Bank, however, has raised concerns. Secretary Clinton has urged the government to maintain its democratic values and ensure its investigation is impartial and balanced.” Please compare this with government press release regarding Hillary’s call.
Photo: Daily Star
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday. Since the only press release regarding this call has come from the Prime Minister’s Office, they understandably did not mention it, but Hillary was calling with only one message: “Don’t mess with Dr. Yunus.”
The phone call was not an isolated event. US Ambassador James Moriarty had also delivered the same message a few days ago. And just in time. The Government has annouced that it has formed a committee to investigate Grameen. It is headed by DU’s Prof. Monowar Uddin Ahmed, who has had a famously difficult relationship with Dr. Yunus. As everyone knows, once a committee is formed, you’re one step away from the death squads.
As an additional channel of attack, the Government has also started harassing Dr. Yunus through the courts. Obviously, the good doctor thought that op-eds in the New York Times are well and good, but Secretary Clinton speaks a language that our Premiere understands clearly. And with his first court appearance due Januarry 18, clearly the phone call was timed with some thought.
I have mixed feelings about this. I don’t like the government hounding Dr. Yunus. However, I also don’t like foreigners telling our Prime Minister what she should or shouldn’t do. Hasina took office with incredible support from Western governments; why she would choose to start a vendetta with the one person in Bangladesh with even better foreign support than herself is still beyond me.
January 17, 2011 at 6:12 am
why she would choose to start a vendetta with the one person in Bangladesh with even better foreign support than herself is still beyond me.
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Isn’t it obvious? She can’t stand the fact that someone else has better foreign support than herself.
January 17, 2011 at 10:14 am
Why do you have to over simplify stuffs all the
time?
January 17, 2011 at 7:29 pm
“why she would choose to start a vendetta with the one person in Bangladesh with even better foreign support than herself is still beyond me”
Tacit, yes Awami regime enjoyed incredible support from Western governments but there is one other country that Awami regime enjoyed more than incredible support from. If you think who’s interest Awami regime is serving so whole heartedly you may see line of Awami regime thinking and actions.
In broader indian hegemonic thinking it’s not acceptable that a subservient country would have personalities with broad international connections and standing. Specially, if that person thinks independently without indian bias and his/her connection and standing has direct access to western power centers. Now if you add the Hasina’s personal jealousy then it’s a grave leadership flaw exploited by indian hegemonic agenda. At the moment this may be directed to Dr. Yunus but in one excuse or another, others are also in cross hair of indian hegemony.
January 18, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Indian Hagemony, Indian hagemony, ad infinitum. India has hagemonist goals in the subcontinent as befits a big power in a small region. But don’t be fooled by belief that the mandarins at South Block are so simpleminded as to be jealous of Dr Eunus or consider him a threat. They are far more sophisticated than that.
I see la affair Eunus as purely Hasina’s petty effort to cut down in size anyone in Bangladesh who is tall enough to dwarf his superman father. Who in the international arena know Sheik Mujib, how many can place Bangladesh in a map? But a lot of people have heard of Dr Eunus and Grameen Bank. This is the crux of matter.
January 18, 2011 at 6:06 pm
“India has hagemonist goals in the subcontinent as befits a big power in a small region.”
Indian hegemonic goal as “benefit”? that is submissive thinking to core and in Bangladesh there is a class of people who dearly subscribe to that.
“But don’t be fooled by belief that the mandarins at South Block are so simpleminded as to be jealous of Dr Eunus or consider him a threat.”
Do you feel what I wrote about indian hegemony (south block) was about south block jealousy?? Read again. South block with its hegemonic agenda is exploiting the shortcoming of Hasina’s jealousy. NO, I did not claim South block is simpleminded. Neither did I say exploiting PM of another country is a simple minded thing. And there is no reason to think south block is ultra smart that no one can see through their activities.
January 18, 2011 at 4:03 am
Can I get the transcript of this phone conversion? Please?
January 18, 2011 at 9:42 pm
This is weird, if anyone loans money without much paperwork or bureaucratic tangle, everyone loves them, gets a Nobel prize plus every other award in between.
And then when the process becomes a significant movement, their own countryfolks turns against them cause it hampers their interests.
It suddenly becomes political, crores of people will do anything to keep the process on. And thousands of other people in Europe will want the same.
Welcome to hell on earth!
February 2, 2011 at 11:37 am
The neighbours noble laureate is welcomed with flowers and all but adopted , while the nations own noble laureate is insulted day in day out, by the same prime minister. This lady is amazing! Yes she deserves every award she can buy. Coz like I said she is amazing!
We are amazing as a nation too coz we expect patriotism from someone who lost thd better part of her family becoz of this nation. She is doing exactly what a normal vengeful person wud do, rip the country up piece by piece and hand it over on a silver platter.
Yes oversimplifying, but I think this is the simple and natural, core of the matter. Without the politics :p
February 27, 2011 at 3:24 pm
US asks BD govt NOT to harass Yunus
http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/frontpage/9757.html
April 21, 2011 at 11:03 pm
http://edailystar.com/contents/2010/2010_12_07/pages/2010_12_07_1.jpg