More support to Yunus
Leading economist Esther Duflo and Khan Academy founder Salman Khan have joined an international effort to stand by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus.
They both joined the Friends of Grameen, an international platform formed to promote microcredit, social business and Grameen Bank, as the vice president of its executive committee.
Duflo, the Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, USA, said: “What is at stake is not one person, Prof Yunus, but his legacy to the global poverty alleviation policy.”
She said microfinance is under political strain in several countries, and its very survival may be at stake. “For the sake of Grameen's eight million shareholders, but also of the more than 150 microfinance beneficiaries worldwide, Yunus must be overseeing a management transition at Grameen Bank without political interferences.”
Bangladeshi-origin Salman Khan said, “As someone with deep Bangladeshi roots, I can see wherever I travel the damage created to Bangladesh's image with what is going on with Grameen Bank and Prof Yunus.”
“The current situation does not appear to be helpful to anyone. Grameen Bank and Prof Yunus are our best ambassadors and have inspired millions around the world. Bangladesh should use them to continue to bring more positive change to the country,” said Khan, whose father is from Bangladesh.
Their comments came as the Supreme Court yesterday pushed back to today the hearing on the appeal filed by Prof Yunus challenging the central bank decision to relieve him of the post of managing director of Grameen. Support continues to mount for Yunus, who has been relieved of the post last month, both at home and abroad.
On Sunday, a solidarity rally in support of Prof Yunus and Grameen Bank was held in front of Jatiya Press Club in the city where papers with signatures of 37 lakh Grameen borrowers defending the Nobel laureate were put on display. Los Angeles Bangladeshi community formed a human chain in front of the Bangladesh Consulate on the first day of April demanding for justice.
The Khan Academy, a not-for-profit educational organization, works for providing a “high quality education.”
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