Mahfuz Anam: Sheikh Hasina’s gift to posterity, The saga of a ‘patriot’ and a ‘blood sucker’

“While most at home and many abroad including one important global institution claim to have “credible evidence” of corruption against him, our Prime Minister found him to be a patriot. Why? Because he has resigned his cabinet post. When? After becoming the principal cause of cancellation of the World Bank funding for the country’s biggest infrastructural project, not to mention harming the reputation and damaging the image of the country. But to our Prime Minister, he is a “patriot” and she must be right.”

“If we leave aside the one person, and focus on the institution, we can very proudly say that led by its women board of directors, all the higher level, mid-level and grassroots level managers and staff members contributed to making it a world class institution that was so unique, so successful, so exemplifying, so emulative, so wondrous and effective that the world took cognisance of that, bowed their heads, and gave it the highest honour — Nobel prize. All this undeniably was the handiwork of none other than the “blood sucker”.”
Continue reading →

“In yesterday’s cabinet meeting, the prime minister and five ministers came down hard on Prof Yunus. The ministers, who took part in the discussion on the Nobel laureate, are Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed, Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddique and Foreign Minister Dipu Moni. The prime minister alleged that Prof Yunus had been constantly lobbying against the government both at home and abroad though her previous government helped him launch Grameenphone and gave many facilities. “Now it seems that he has become our enemy,” a minister, who attended the meeting, quoted Hasina as saying.”
Changes to ordinance give govt-appointed chairman almost absolute power to pick MD

Daily Star: Prime Minister speaks to BBC about Dr. Yunus and “bloodsucker” comment (min 12:23)
Continue reading →