Readers Respond

Here are some comments that came in response to Tuesday's The Daily Star news analysis headlined “A premier and a Nobel laureate”.

Tipu
Sir, I salute you for writing such a timely article. We are unfortunate to have such kind of government in Bangladesh.

M. K. Alam
Prof Yunus, the Nobel Laureate of Bangladesh, is not the political rival of Awami League. I do not understand why PM makes malicious comments against Prof Yunus. In this case finance minister clearly stated that Prof had no role in World Bank's decision to suspend funding for Padma Bridge.

Fida Likhon
The campaign against Professor Yunus is making many Bangladeshi and foreigners unhappy. Awami League government seems to be jealous of Professor Yunus.
Awami League government should not forget that people can throw away and bring BNP-Jamaat to power that will create huge instability with religious extremists like before.

Russel
So what's the wrong? Even if I came to know about the corruption in the Padma Bridge project, I would request the World Bank to hold back the loan. Because those criminals will loot the money and we and our kids would pay it back for decades. So...every time you smell corruption....lobby to stop overseas funding as quickly as possible.

Sadrul Ahsan
It is very sad that the political parties in our country are dictatorial in nature. The so-called leaders in both the AL and BNP dare not speak their mind and if they do they will be outcasts in their own party. Just look at Tofail, Amu, Hafizuddin, to name a few. I congratulate this writer for speaking the truth loud and clear because in today's Bangladesh we are in search of a few honest people.

Anonymous Expat
Thanks for the nice article. It is not the conflict between Dr. Yunus and Sheikh Hasina. It has international ramification. International community will try to withdraw their support for Bangladesh. The Padma Bridge fund of the World Bank is an example. They will try to curtail their aid and loan on flimsy ground. A third dimension has been created in the international relations out of Hasina-Yunus episode.

Khandker Shahidul Islam
I am an admirer of Prof Yunus. But I could not understand why none could see the unlawful act of transferring money to other account from Grameen Bank. The simple truth is that the money would have been the capital of Grameen Bank if it remained in that account. But after transferring the money and retransmitted back to Grameen Bank means it is the liability of Grameen Bank. Think of the situation for the amount of 600 crore taka.

Urmila
We all know that each and every words of a national leader, when pronounced in public on important issues, counts to a great extent. But it is utterly surprising and highly unfortunate when we hear our PM and our opposition leader, both being the topmost pillars of the national politics come out publicly with comments and opinions on famous historical facts and well-known personalities contrary to those well-registered in commoners' knowledge and memory.

Upfront
We can only be assured when the finance minister will tell us that the matter has been settled honourably and amicably and the World Bank loan for the Padma Bridge is opened to use. Unless such a categorical statement comes from him duly seconded by the World Bank (WB), we will continue to hear wild allegations, true or false, from the interested quarters who think this a viable issue for politics to undermine the capacity of the government to stop corruption in mega projects awarding contract. Unless proved otherwise, we will share the concern of the WB about corruption as reported widely in the local media.