At a news conference AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil said the comment of Muhammad Yunus on the politicians of his own country made his position controversial and questionable.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued last night BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan said the remark made by the only Nobel laureate of the country is not only unacceptable but also regrettable.

Terming Yunus' comment 'unfortunate', Abdul Jalil said, "When he makes sweeping remarks against all politicians, it worries the honest politicians and development activists, who are in favour of peace."

"His belligerent attitude toward politics as a whole makes us worry," Abdul Jalil observed.

Jalil questioned, "How could he accuse all politicians of dishonesty and say that politicians are only in it for money?"

"If all politicians are considered as dishonest for the dishonesty of some, then are all the development activists are to be considered dishonest also for the dishonesty of some?" Jalil asked.

"Are we to consider all bankers corrupt for the corruption of some?" Jalil went on questioning.

Mannan Bhuiyan in his statement said, "Such a remark from a prudent person like Dr Yunus is not acceptable as there are good and bad persons in every profession both at home and abroad."

Dr Yunus on Thursday in an interview with AFP said Bangladesh's politicians are only in it for the money.

"It's about power, power to make money. There is no ideological thing, simply who gets the bigger booty," Yunus said of the recent tussle between the main political alliances in the country in a bid to influence the electoral process towards their own favour.

The 'banker of the poor', Yunus, also said, "Nothing gets done unless you pay the bribe. It's a part of life."

Referring to Yunus' comment Bhuiyan said in the statement, "The allegation can't be an overwhelming truth since the politicians of a country, which was established through sacrifices of thousands of people, who often suffered repression and even sacrificed their lives for independence, can't be in it only for money."

"Politics is a noble profession, the best way to serve the people and society, but such a profession like all other professions have come into question due to activities of some bad people. So sweeping comments like, politics and politicians have no ideology, cannot be correct," Bhuiyan added.

"Are we to blame our Nobel Laureate Yunus for a reported suicide of a poor woman for failure to pay interest on the money she had borrowed at a 36 percent interest rate from Grameen Bank?" Abdul Jalil asked at the AL news briefing.

"When a sagacious man like Dr Yunus operates on this kind of logic, then we feel ashamed and embarrassed as a nation," Jalil said.

Jalil asked, "Did he get the license for Grameen Bank in exchange of bribe?"

"Even a treat of a cup of tea did not become necessary for getting the license of Grameen Phone during the Awami League regime led by Shiekh Hasina," Jalil said.

"How could he then claim that nothing gets done unless you pay the bribe?" Jalil questioned again.

"The entire nation would support Dr Yunus if he had spoken against those who are responsible for criminalising politics," Jalil quipped.

Jalil however admitted that like in other developing countries, there are instances of criminal activities in Bangladesh's politics too, and there are instances of forming parties following usurpation of state power at gunpoint, and of becoming billionaires overnight by plundering public money through abuse of power.

"But it doesn't necessarily mean that all politicians are dishonest," he said.

"The people would have heaved a sigh of relief, if Yunus would have raised his voice for nabbing and trying those who had amassed black money overnight through corruption," he added.

"We would like to request him to call a spade a spade. Name clearly who you think are the corruptionists. After conducting surveys, reveal the names of those who indulged in thuggery and corruption and to what extent."

Jalil said still there are dedicated and selfless politicians who work for the betterment of the people. So, it will be a severe injustice to come up with sweeping criticisms against the politicians.

Awami League leaders Abdur Razzak, Suranjit Sengupta, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Obaidul Kader, Syed Ashraful Islam, Abdul Mannan and Asim Kumar Ukil were also present at the briefing.