Jalil states: "How could he (Yunus) accuse all politicians of dishonesty..." Let's agree that some politicians are dishonest. Aren't most of these "some" the big sharks swimming alongside the top leadership of both the parties? Can Jalil (and Bhuiyan) deny that seats are sold for cash in addition to other considerations, and that close relatives/friends of ministers and other leaders when in power have dubiously amassed tons of money?

Jalil then resorts to a time honoured technique of deflecting attention by accusing the accuser. He requests Dr. Yunus to conduct "surveys...(to) reveal the names who indulged in snuggery and corruption...and to what extent."

How could he make such absurd statements that insult the intelligence of the people?

Bhuiyan is even more creative. He says, "Politicians...even sacrificed their lives for independence...(hence) can't be in it only for money." To equate the sacrifice of thousands of ordinary people with politicians is gross defamation and distortion of history. Does he include his Jamaat buddies amongst those who sacrificed?

Jalil and Bhuiyan know surveys show the public rate politicians as the lowest of the low amongst various professions. Charity begins at home. They should better spend their time housecleaning than wasting our time with gratuitously insulting observations "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

How is that the AL and the BNP, which couldn't even sit down for a cup of tea, have banded together to bash Dr. Yunus? This suggests that there's no bond stronger than honour amongst humans when their backs are to the wall!

At last the Awami League and the BNP are sharing the same view about one thing that is the remarks of the Noble Peace Prize winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus about the politicians of the country. They blasted him for his sweeping remarks and termed it as unacceptable and unfortunate.

Yes, we agree with them that the remarks are vexing for the politicians but at the same time is not it a fact that both the parties know who are corrupt in their party, who flex muscles, try to win the election at any cost? We, the common people, know a lot about them. The Awami League and the BNP must know about everyone.

We hope the Awami League and the BNP will think seriously about it.
Nur Jahan, Chittagong

One may criticise Dr Yunus' hyperboles, as I have done with regard to his over-simplified assertions vis-à-vis micro-credit as the panacea for poverty, but the way some leading politicians have ganged up against him for his recent comments on our corrupt politicians is simply silly, offensive and unwarranted. Their offensive self-defence reminds me of the Bengali adage: "Thakur ghare ke rey? Ami kala khai na."

Surprisingly, for the first time, Abdul Jalil and Mannan Bhuiyan, representing the two corrupt and rival political dynasties, the AL and BNP respectively, have found a common ground to grind their axes in public.

Some "leftists" and "former leftists" have also joined the bandwagon to demolish Dr. Yunus. The Workers' Party is the latest to join the foray. Taking Yunus to task for calling a spade a spade, the WP reminded him that politicians had achieved whatever Bangladesh can be proud of, including its independence.

Somebody should tell these narcissist politicians that as a father has no right to kill his children, so politicians responsible for the freedom of Bangladesh have no right whatsoever to rob and destroy the country.

What actually provoked our not so benign and civil politicians to target Dr. Yunus for telling the truth is his latest interview with the AFP. He simply told the interviewer: "Bangladeshi politicians are all for money. It's about power, power to make money. There is no ideological thing, simply who gets the bigger booty..."

Dr. Yunus did not use the expression "politicians" preceded by a "the". So, one does not understand what is the big fuss about his innocuous statement! Can our politicians deny that most of them are inefficient, dishonest, timid and thoroughly corrupt at the same time? If not, they should shut their not-so-clean mouth forever.

One is not sure if to laugh or cry at the following antics by our leaders:

"When he [Yunus] makes sweeping remarks against all politicians [which he did not], it worries the honest politicians and development activists.... His belligerent attitude towards politics as a whole makes us worry [Abdul Jalil, The Daily Star, January 20, 2007]." To Mannan Bhuiyan of the BNP, Dr. Yunus' comments were "not only unacceptable but also unexpected and unfortunate [Prothom Alo, January 20, 2007]."

In view of the above, one may congratulate Dr Yunus for speaking out the truth that most of our politicians are absolutely corrupt, solely responsible for the prevalent anarchic situation, poverty and backwardness of Bangladesh.

It is time that we point out that corrupt politicians have driven away the honest ones from the arena of politics. And the so-called honest ones are equally responsible for giving premium to corruption by acquiescing in dynastic politics, where brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews and in-laws run political dynasties, such as the AL, BNP and JP, Unless the "honest" politicians whom Jalil, Bhuiyan and others are trying to protect refuse to collaborate with their respective "Apa", "Madam" and "Sir" and their corrupt associates, they are equally corrupt by committing the crime in association. So, unless our politicians clean their house by expelling convicted and known criminals, they have no right to condemn Dr. Yunus or anybody else who call them corrupt and associates of the corrupt ones.

Taj Hashmi, On e-mail