Editorial
Probe into Grameen affair
It must be transparent, undistracted and revealing of the truth
YESTERDAY in this column we urged facts-based discussions on the controversy raging over Norwegian TV documentary centring around purported transfer of funds from Grameen Bank(GB) to a sister concern Grameen Kalyan(GK). Now Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has voiced her government's decision to probe the matter to find out 'if there was any unauthorised fund transfer' by Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus.
Thus, the matter has moved beyond the pale of discussion, which was a matter of focus yesterday, entering into the realm of what the PM terms as 'comprehensive investigation'. Prof Yunus has promptly welcomed the move for a probe into the allegations of 'unauthorised transfer' of funds being levelled against Grameen Bank and him as an individual.
We regard the PM's move and Prof Yunus' responsive reaction to it as a positive development of great import, because it has a bearing on the credibility of Grameen Bank and Prof Yunus, the Nobel Laureate who have become iconic in the microcredit world, let alone the image of the country. Prof Yunus should be naturally keen to clear his name and that of Grameen Bank from any imputation whatsoever while it is important for the government whose representatives were on the board of the Grameen Bank to clear the air of any controversy in national interest.
Now that the investigations are about to get underway, two normative imperatives are compelling to be lived up to and complied with. First, all concerned need to refrain from making any observations, speculative or otherwise, that might tend to prejudge or prejudice the outcome of the investigation. Secondly and equally, if not more importantly, it must be ensured that structurally, terms of reference wise and in the modus operandi, transparency, fairness and neutrality of the processes are scrupulously and unfailingly maintained and upheld.
Here we cannot but take note of, and express shock over, the PM's very acrid remarks to the effect that 'microcredit plan launched by Grameen Bank instead of bringing any change to their lives had been sucking the blood of the poor'. Since she has decided to comprehensively investigate the Grameen affair, such observations, by hindsight, were contrary, if not contradictory, to her decision to go for a probe. We repeat nothing that can prejudge the outcome of the investigation or influence its course should even remotely be done or appear to have been done.
The overarching need is to quickly complete the investigation, bring out the truth and leave the controversy behind for the greater interest of the country.
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