PM's goodwill for Professor Yunus
Recently Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested the visiting European Union (EU) delegation to recommend Professor Yunus as the next president of the World Bank (WB). She has also explained the logic behind her request that Yunus' vast experience is a valuable asset that the WB can use for the betterment of the world. She also praised Yunus for his outstanding contribution in alleviating poverty through micro credit activities. Interestingly, once Sheikh Hasina termed Yunus as 'bloodsucker' of the poor because of the micro credit scheme and her government has forced Yunus to leave the Grameen Bank. However, we know that the WB is one of the five institutions created at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944. And traditionally, the WB president has always been a US citizen nominated by the United States, the largest shareholder at the bank. The nominee is subject to confirmation by the Board of Executive Directors, to serve a five-year, renewable term, although one of the strongest criticisms of the WB has been the way in which it is governed. While the WB represents 186 countries, it is run by a small number of economically powerful countries. These countries choose the leadership and senior management of the bank, and so their interests dominate the bank's policies. Anyway, we hope that our prime minister would like to do something revolutionary in the international arena and in accordance with that she has made this recommendation for Professor Yunus. It is noteworthy that any credibility gap in her future actions in this regard might raise question about her statesmanship at home and abroad.
There may be some negative observations but I strongly feel that when a prime minister of a country publicly recognises anyone's talent and accomplishments, it matters and definitely carries value. Though a little late, still Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's proposal to make Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus the Chief of the World Bank (WB) is a positive move to place the right person at the right place. Professor Yunus is a personality with high national as well as international standing. It has been an earnest desire of the developing countries to ensure proper representation of the developing nations in the World Bank. There is no doubt if Prof. Yunus is appointed as the Chief of the WB, the developing countries will get the opportunity to make their voice heard at the World Bank. Prof. Yunus is well conversant with the needs of the developing countries, so he can work accordingly for the betterment of the less developed countries. While supporting the above proposal, I would like to call upon the international communities and the authorities concerned to implement it by making Prof. Yunus the WB Chief in the greater interest of international development.
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