Reception accorded to Yunus

Prof Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace laureate; Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of BRAC; Rehman Sobhan, chairman of the Centre for Policy Dialogue; Akbar Ali Khan, a former caretaker government adviser; AYBI Siddiqi, a former inspector general of police; and Latifur Rahman, chairman of Transcom Group and winner of Oslo Business for Peace Award, attend a reception accorded to the founder of Grameen Bank at Spectra Convention Centre in the capital on Saturday. Photo:Star

Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus was accorded a reception for his life-long efforts aimed at eradicating poverty from the world and making Bangladesh proud in the process.
The family of AYBI Siddiqi, a former government secretary and inspector general of police, hosted the accord to Grameen Bank founder for winning the Nobel Peace Prize, US Congressional Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom, at Spectra Convention Centre in Dhaka on Saturday.
Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of BRAC, the world's largest non-governmental organisation, was also given a memento.
Speaking at the event, Sir Abed said: "Prof Yunus has taken the microcredit to the world stage as a tool to eradicate poverty. Many countries are using it to eliminate poverty. We are a proud citizen of Bangladesh because of Yunus."
Rehman Sobhan, chairman of Centre for Policy Dialogue, said through microcredit Prof Yunus empowered the people who were overlooked by the market economy.
Akbar Ali Khan, a former caretaker government adviser, said the board delegated power to the management of the microcredit organisation in many areas such as loan approval and promotion.
As a result, Grameen Bank and Prof Yunus won the Nobel Prize, said Khan, also a former chairman of Grameen Bank.
Latifur Rahman, chairman of Transcom Group and winner of Oslo Business for Peace Award, said: "Prof Yunus is such a great man who has not stopped despite winning the Noble Prize. He has continued to work for the country and the world."
Prof Lutfe Siddiqi, one of the managing directors of United Bank of Switzerland and son of AYBI Siddiqi, and Rehana Siddiqi, wife of AYBI Siddiqi, were also present.