BANGLADESH : ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST BACKLASH

A RASH of Islamist fundamentalist violence has broken out across Bangladesh. On April 3 , 2011 , Railway Madrassa students took out processions in Jessore. When the Police intercepted the procession, the madrassa ( seminary) students attacked the Policemen. In the retaliatory action, a madrassa student was shot dead and 30 people were injured. On April 4 , 2011 , a dawn to dusk hartal (shut down) was observed across the country. The hartal was called by Mufti Rashidul Hasan Fazlul Haq Amini, leader of the Islami Ain Bastabayan Committee ( IABC, Islamic Law Implementation Committee). The IABC is linked to the Islami Oikko Jote (IOJ), a political party which has openly been vocal about its support for the Islamist militants, the Taliban and the al-Qaeda. The IOJ is allied to the main opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP). The ruling Awami League's (AL) General Secretary, Syed Ashraful Islam claimed the BNP and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) sponsored the hartal and Aminee was used strategically to implement their political programme. He also alleged that BNP-JeI were on the streets during the strike. Meanwhile, Amini, on April 15 , had threatened to paralyse the country, declaring, "We can create an impasse in the country by a one- hour notice as there are 20 ,000 madrassas which will respond to our call immediately." Violence erupted in Dhaka, Chittagong, Chandpur, Barbaria, Faridpur, Feni, Moulvibazar and Khulna during the April 4 hartal. While, 250 people, including 16 Policemen, were injured and another 200 people were detained, in the wake of mass attacks on vehicles, public transport and Security Forces. In a fresh wave of violence on May 1 , hundreds of Islamic activists, belonging to Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB, Islamic Movement Bangladesh) wearing the traditional white Muslim dress and sporting copies of the Quran, marched in Dhaka, where the Police had imposed a ban on political rallies. A Police spokesperson said nearly 200 protestors were wounded during clashes with riot-Police. An estimated 150 Islamic activists were detained, whisked away in prison vans. The apparent provocation of this unrest is the National Women's Development Policy (NWDP) 2011 , declared by the Government on March 7 , 2011 , which includes, among others, a provision of an equal share for women in property and opportunities in employment and business. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, State Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, stated, "The approval of the NWDP has created a great scope for the advancement of women empowerment". Women's rights groups have also backed the Government, urging an early implementation of the policy. Unsurprisingly, the NWDP has provoked the fundamentalists, who have rejected it as 'anti-Islamic' and 'anti-Quran' , and have orchestrated mass agitations across Bangladesh, demanding its withdrawal. An umbrella Islamist group, the Islamic Law Implementation Committee (ILIC), further threatened to paralyse the country if the Government did not scrap what it termed "anti-Islamic provisions" in the NWDP. The NWDP is a revival of the 1997 Women's Development Policy, and is the fulfillment of an Election ( 2009) pledge by the AL. The 1997 Policy was formulated during the previous tenure of the Sheikh Hasina Wajed led AL Government ( 1996-2001). The Begum Khalida led BNP coalition Government ( 2001-2006) , of which JeI was a part, approved another Women's Development Policy in 2004 , deleting crucial provisions, such as "equal right", "equal and full participation", "right to land", " inheritance" and "property", or replacing them with "constitutional right", "preference" and "greater participation". Meanwhile, in 2008 , the then Caretaker Government had announced another Women's Development Policy, guaranteeing equal rights, including property rights for women, which was also opposed by a section of Islamic clerics. As a result, the then Government had constituted a 20- member Ulema (Islamic experts) Committee on March 27 , 2008 , to identify any potential " inconsistencies" in the Policy. On April 17 , 2008 , the Ulema Committee submitted its recommendations, strongly opposing the grant of equal rights to women, recommending deletion of six sections of the policy and amending 15 others which, the Ulema claimed, "clash" with the provisions of the Quran and Sunnah (sayings and examples from the life of the Prophet). Suggesting the inclusion of guidelines "in the light of the Quran and Sunnah" while taking any decision regarding women's rights, the Ulema Committee recommended abolishing the section that recommends steps to implement the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The Committee also asked the Government to cancel the initiative to reserve one-third of parliamentary seats for women and the application of comparable reservations to local elections. Hafez Maulana Ziaul Hasan, Chairman of Sammilito Islami Jote ( United Islamic Alliance), a liberal Islamic organization, on April 28 , 2011 , however, noted, "The review (Ulema) committee could not pinpoint any verse in the Quran that the Women's Development Policy contradicts. It also failed to show any provision of the policy that contradicted the Quran and Sunnah ." Resistance to the hue and cry against the NWDP is significant. The leaders of Gausul Azam Maizbhandari Parishad [GAMP. Gausul Azam Maizbhandari Shah Sufi Moulana Syed Ahmadullah was a Sufi saint who started the Maizbhandari Sect. GAMP preaches his religious practices and works for the development of society], an Islamic social organization, on April 12 , 2011 , criticized IABC for creating an 'anarchic situation' in the country during protests against the women's development policy. Syed Saifuddin Ahmed Maizbhandari, Secretary General of the organization, stated, "Creating anarchic situation and sufferings for people are considered as the most heinous activities in Islam. Amini and his followers have done such heinous activities on the hartal day (April 4). " However, IABC's Amini has identified the policy's Section 23.5 , which speaks about opportunity and participation in employment, wealth, market and business for women, as 'un-Islamic'. Further, Section 25.2 , which seeks to give women full control over the wealth they accumulate through earning, inheritance, loans and market management, is also declared ' anti-Islamic'. Amini insists that the IABC was not opposed to policies for the development of the women, but these must be formulated in the light of the holy Quran and Sunnah. Various scholars have contested Amini's claims. Maulana Mohammad Ziaul Hasan, an Islamic academic from the Islamic Foundation argues, "Any literate person will understand that the word 'wealth' in Section 23.5 does not mean inherited wealth. Similarly, the word 'inherit' in section 25.2 does not imply equal share of property to women." Noted educationist Prof. Sirajul Islam Chowdhury declared, on April 18 , "Amini's comments are very objectionable and tantamount to treason for denial of the Constitution." Professor Chowdhury asserted that Amini had taken a direct stand against the Constitution, which guarantees equal rights for all, irrespective of gender. Besides, other scholars noted, the women's development policy is not a law, but a guideline upholding the Constitution and existing laws. Rattled by the protests, however, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought to appease the fundamentalists and announced, on April 20 , 2011 , that her Government had removed all contradictions from the NWDP to make it 'confusion-free': "After going through the Quran, especially Surah an-Nisa, we have removed contradictions from the policy." Hasina reiterated, further, that AL would never enact any law or adopt any policy which conflicted with the Quran or Sunnah. She added, further, that the Government would also append to the policy, the religious and social reservations mentioned in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. At the same time, she asserted that vested political groups were carrying out propaganda against the women and education policies in the name of religion and urged Islamic scholars to remain alert about such attempts. Again on April 26 , the Prime Minister noted that a certain quarter "trading on religion" had been trying to mislead people by misinterpreting the NWDP, although Islam as a religion never approves inequality between man and woman. Significantly, on December 7 , 2010 , the AL Government had approved the National Educational Policy ( NEP) 2010 , which prescribes a uniform curriculum and syllabus to be followed in general, madrassa and vocational education. Quami madrassa (private seminary) administrations were asked to form a commission and determine what they want to introduce in their institutions. All educational institutions were required to register with the Government to gain legality. The Islamists, who favour the implementation of the Sharia have clubbed both NWDP and NEP together, and have opposed these measures as an unwarranted interference in their religious affairs. The successful implementation of the NWDP and NEP could mark the beginning of a new era for Bangladesh, where Democracy has been restored and carried forward by two women Prime Ministers. Nevertheless, given the complex range of initiatives that the Sheikh Hasina Government has introduced to curb the activities of Islamist terrorists, extremists and fundamentalists, a delicate balancing act will be necessary to ensure that the system, long perverted by dogma and extremist ideologies operating at the very centre of power, is not tipped over into a fundamentalist backlash that would wipe out the gains of the past year.

US, PAK Agreed On Osama Mission In Secret Deal 10 Years Ago

In a secret deal struck a decade ago, the US and Pakistan agreed that Washington will carry out a unilateral operation against Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil if he was found there following which Islamabad would vociferously protest the incursion, a media report said today. The then military leader Gen Pervez Musharraf and then US president George Bush struck the deal after bin Laden escaped US forces in Afghanistan's Tora Bora mountains in late 2001 , the Guardian newspaper reported. Under the deal, Pakistan would allow US forces to conduct a unilateral raid on its soil in search of bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri. Afterwards, both sides agreed, Pakistan would vociferously protest the incursion, the paper quoted serving and retired Pakistani and US officials as saying. "There was an agreement between Bush and Musharraf that if we knew where Osama was, we were going to come and get him," said a former senior US official familiar with the counter- terrorism operations. "The Pakistanis would put up a hue and cry, but they wouldn't stop us." A senior Pakistani official said it had been struck under Musharraf and renewed by the army during the "transition to democracy" - a six-month period from February 2008 when Musharraf was still president but a civilian government had been elected. Referring to the killing of bin Laden in Abbottabad compound near Islamabad, the Pakistani official said: "As far as our American friends are concerned, they have just implemented the agreement." The former US official said the Pakistani protests of the past week were the "public face" of the deal. "We knew they would deny this stuff." The deal puts a new complexion on the political storm triggered by bin Laden's death, with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly protesting the raid and warning that "Pakistan reserves the right to retaliate with full force." 54- year-old bin Laden was killed by the US special forces in a secret operation in the garrison town of Abbottabad, 80 km from Pakistani capital Islamabad. Pakistan has said it was "intelligence-driven operation by the US" and it was not informed prior to the raid.

WIKILEAKS : ISI Allowed Attacks In India

The ISI facilitated militants to cross the border to carry out strikes on Indian targets chosen by the Pakistan Army, several detainees at the Guantanamo Bay facility told US interrogators, according to a fresh set of American diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks. The interrogation reports quoted a detainee as saying that ISI " allowed" militants to travel to India where they conducted bombings, kidnappings and killing of Kashmiri people and the targets were picked up by the Pakistani Army. The revelations add to Pakistan's embarrassment after Osama bin Laden was found living at a million-dollar mansion in the garrison city of Abbottabad. The US was long aware of the presence of anti-India terror training camps in Pakistan with several inmates telling investigators how ISI allowed militants to carry attacks in India. The disclosures are part of 779 interrogation reports from the facility of detainees from all over the world and show how a number of detainees were linked to anti- India Lashkar-e-Taiba and had received terror training in Pakistan. The reports quote detainees from countries like Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Pakistan as telling interrogators about their recruitment and subsequent travelling to Pakistan for terror training before their actual deployment to launch attacks against India and also Afghanistan. An Algerian detainee Abdul Azia admitted he was a member of LeT for which he noted that "their mission (was) to kill Indians in India", says a detailed report of his interrogation, released by the whistleblower website. "Detainee is assessed to have recruited in Saudi Arabia and received training from the LT in Pakistan. The detainees is further assessed to have participated in combat in Kashmir, and then travelled to Afghanistan where he was injured," says a note about Azia. Records of a Pakistani prisoner named Mohammad Anwer showed that he travelled to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir where he attended an LeT training camp for 21 days in 1998 and later served in Afghanistan. "Detainee has been identified through sensitive reporting as a Pakistani Inter Service Intelligence Dirctorate agent," the document says. One of the reports quotes Chaman Gul, an Afghan militant as telling investigators about Mast Gul, a former Major of the Pakistani Army, who was "a notorious terrorist who fought in Kashmir and planned terror attacks against a number of targets in Kabul. Gul is closely alligned to Hizb-e- Islami Gulbuddin (HIG), an al Qaeda linked group and ISI Directorate. The detainee claimed that Mast Gul controlled all guerilla activity in Kashmir from his home base in Muzaffarabad. Chaman also said that militants were deployed for three to four months and then asked to return. He also said as member of Hizb-e- Islami Gulbuddin, he was part of a plan to assassinate Karzai and the US ambassador. While one detainee Yacoub claimed that he had got a security job with the Hamid Karzai government, another said he was an informant of British intelligence service. In another such assessment report, a senior al Qaeda operative was said to be planning to use Indians for terror attacks because of the low- level of scrutiny Indians are subjected to in the western nations. "Detainee admitted that he had considered using India as a platform to send operatives to the US or UK because of the large Muslim population there and the low level of scrutiny given to travellers of Indian nationality," the document on Abu al-Libi says.

Where Is Shiraj Shikdar Now? Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

"Where is Shiraj Shikdar now?" boostfully said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman standing at the sacred ground of the parliament house.Shiraj Sikder was killed without a trial so was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Where are they now? Both are dead. Siraj Sikder was fighting against BKSAL dictatorship and Mujib was trying to establish his one party BKSAL Sheiklh dynasty. "Staff reporter reported, "Yesterday that is Thursday at the Chief Metropolitan (C.M.M.) Magistrate’s court a case has been filed against 7 persons as accused including Awami League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Abdur Razzak, Tofayel Ahmed and Mohammed Nasim for the murder of Mr. Shiraj Shikdar, the leader of Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party. Mr. Sheikh Mohiuddin Ahmed, the President of Shiraj Shikdar Parishad has lodged the case. The accused were Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 1. Mr. Mahabubuddin Ahmed ex superintendent of police. 2. Abdur Razzak MP 3. Tofayel Ahmed MP 4. Mr. E.A. Choudhury ex IG police and currently the Chairman of Pubali Bank 5. Brig.(Retd) Kazi Nuruzzaman (Ex DG Jatiyo Rakkhi and Bahini and Ex Ambassador for Bangladesh in Sweden). 6. Mohammed Nasim MP & Co. "...on 1 st January 1975 Shiraj Shikdar along with another party member were arrested from New market area of Chittagong and the same day they were flown to Dhaka. They were brought to the old airport and from there they were taken to the headquarters of the special branch at Malibag under heavy escort and special security arrangements. There both of the captives were separated from each other and Shiraj Shikdar was subjected to inhuman torture. On 2 nd January evening he was taken to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Banga Bhaban by the police and the special squad of JRB in a hand cuffed position. At that time late Capt.(Retd) Mansoor Ali the then home Minister, all the accused, Sheikh Kamal Son of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Fazlul Haq Moni his nephew were also present at the Banga Bhaban along with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. At the very first sight Sheikh Mujib started abusing Shiraj Shikdar. As he protested all those who were present including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman pounced on him. Even at that point Shiraj Shikdar demanded from Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to take necessary steps to stop the bank robbery by Sheikh Kamal and various other misdeeds. He also criticized his policy of slavery of India. At this Sheikh Mujib’s anger heightened and he became extremely agitated when Shiraj asked him to take action against endemic corruption. At that point no 1 accused Mr. Mahbubuddin struck him on his head with his revolver. Shiraj Shikdar fell down. Sheikh Kamal lost his temper and shot at him in front of his father. The bullet hit his arm. Simultaneously all other accused started beating him, slapping him, kicking him right and left in front of their supreme leader as Shiraj Shikdar lay on the ground wounded. At one time he lost his conscience. After that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Capt.(Retd) Mansoor Ali and the other accused took the decision to kill Shiraj Shikdar and ordered No 1. accused to do the needful to execute the order. No 1 accused then took Shiraj Shakdar and brought him at the JRB headquarters at Shere Banglanagar. There he was tortured more. Later at about 11 p. m. on 2 nd January he was shot and murdered in the JRB headquarters in presence of all the accused. The report further stated that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the head of the government in his statement at the national Parliament boastfully claimed, "Where is Shiraj Shikdar now?" "This was the clear manifestation of his revengeful attitude. Then No. 1 accused took his dead body and the members of the Special Squad to Savar police station Via Talbagh as planned. Next day his body was transferred to the Morgue. "Seven accused including Razzak, Tofayel and Nasim. Case filed for the murder of Shiraj Shikdar"

Statement By Nobel Laureate Prof Yunus

On the May 5 Supreme Court verdict on his removal from the Grameen Bank   YOU have already heard the verdict from the Supreme Court. Why did I appear before the Court? Why did I want to contest the order of the Bangladesh Bank? Why there is so much concern about this issue at home and abroad? There may be some confusion regarding these questions. Please allow me to share my feelings with you to remove this confusion. I went to the court for a specific reason. The Bangladesh Bank sent a letter to the Grameen Bank, removing me from my post as the managing director of the Grameen Bank. The letter also mentioned that I held this position for the last eleven years illegally. The Bangladesh Bank did this without giving me a chance to explain my position. I felt that this letter was not legally correct, and through this letter, not only was I been wronged, but so was the Grameen Bank. Nine elected members of the board of directors of the Grameen Bank felt the same way. That is why the nine members of the board and I filed separate writs with the High Court. We wanted these wrongs to be corrected. Therefore, we had to seek justice through all avenues offered in the Bangladeshi judicial system. This is what we have done. The fate of 40 million poor people connected to this IN THE event that the honourable court stated in their final decision that the letter from the Bangladesh Bank was issued without lawful authority, I could continue my work with the Grameen Bank and make the transition to a capable management as smoothly as possible. But, if the court verdict went against us, the board may be forced to take steps to implement the content of the Bangladesh Bank letter. This was the only reason for me to take this matter to the court. I had no option but to seek justice in this matter. It is indeed a much wider and much more significant issue to save the future of the Grameen Bank and also to protect the hopes and dreams of the over eight million borrowers. These borrowers are also the owners of 96.5 per cent of the bank’s shares. The bank is connected with 40 million microcredit borrowers in Bangladesh, and its impact on all these people cannot be neglected. What happens to the Grameen Bank influences the future of the millions of Bangladeshis who benefit from microcredit activities, as well as the future of the institution of microcredit itself. It is actually a great concern for me, and many others, that I properly fulfill my responsibility to safeguard their future before and after leaving the post of managing director of the Grameen Bank. Some have said that, instead of going to the court, it would have been more honourable for me to resign from my position as suggested by the finance minister. I do not think so. In that case, the end result would have been the same, so far as my exit is concerned. But I would have suffered from carrying the guilt of knowingly accepting an unexpected proposal and putting the borrowers and their families’ futures at risk. I could not do that. Some people felt that I intend to cling to the position of managing director of the Grameen Bank. But the nation knows that this position is not my life’s goal. I was, and am, conscious of the fact that my future work will not be based on my holding on to this position, but rather, it would be working with the young generation, from other platforms to address the problem of poverty at home and abroad. I want to do that without jeopardising the interests of the Grameen Bank. This is the thought which prompted me to write the letter to the honourable finance minister one year ago. I suggested two options to him for a transition that could take place without creating any waves within the bank. I did not get any response to these proposals. I was, instead, told to quit. It is, therefore, unfair to me to suggest that I am holding on to the position of managing director unjustly or to allege that I am not cooperating with the process of transition. For the past few months, a section of the media devoted itself fiercely to campaign against me, the Grameen Bank, and the concept of microcredit. Everyone has his own explanation why this is happening. An unfriendly atmosphere is not helpful for a smooth change of leadership THE cause of my concerns, as well as those of the nation and the world, lies here. These concerns are more for the Grameen Bank and the future of its millions of borrowers than for me. For this reason, I have been reminding you repeatedly that undertaking the transition process of the Grameen Bank’s management in an unfriendly environment will only cause harm to the future of the bank. I have always wanted to make sure that the transition takes place in a friendly, mutually supportive environment so that the achievements of the Grameen Bank may continue without interruption. There are many issues related to this. The big questions are: whether the Grameen Bank can maintain its independent existence, whether it can be successful in keeping itself away from political influences. What actually happens to financial institutions in our country if political influences start playing a role in these institutions is common knowledge. This experience will not inspire trust in the borrowers. We all know how important the role of trust is in the operation of the Grameen Bank. There is a growing doubt as to whether any civil society effort can survive and retain its character and independence in this politically- influenced environment. There is doubt as to whether the Grameen Bank, or similar civil society initiatives, can be continued with their own identities and autonomy in this environment. Whether I remain within the Grameen Bank, or I work outside of it, I cannot ignore my responsibility. It is an important task to protect the Grameen Bank’s identity and ensure that poor people remain as its owners. A vital part of good governance, as internationally recognised and known to all, is the independence and autonomy of civil society efforts. This is especially so when the the character and independence of a globally acclaimed model involved with poverty reduction at the grassroots level lies at stake. This model is working in western countries, no matter how rich they are. They are grateful to Bangladesh, as this model is benefitting their own poor people. Our country has gained recognition throughout the world for our citizens’ successful initiatives and innovative activities. Bangladesh became a role model for the developing world through the actions of its civil society, and the success of these actions. This brought Bangladesh into the attention of the whole world. Bangladesh became the shining global example of creative and innovative civil society actions to solve its own problems. This gave us our pride. If this image is tarnished, then this will be a great loss to the nation. Will this not affect our pride and self- confidence? I put these questions to you. I am humbly appealing to all for the protection and independence of the Grameen Bank and the protection of poor women who are working very hard to stand on their feet with their own efforts. I am especially appealing for the protection of institutions that fight for the empowerment of poor women. We must ensure that the achievements of the last forty years are not lost IT IS necessary for us to stand together to ensure that the achievements that we have gained in these past 40 years are not lost. Without having a national consensus, we will not be able to take our country to new heights. Over the last five months, citizens have protested in all parts of the country. People have spoken out in the print media, and on television. 3.7 million Grameen Bank borrowers and their family members signed a petition to ensure the independence of the Grameen Bank, addressed to the honourable prime minister. Bangladeshis living abroad have protested individually and in groups in many cities and towns across Europe and America. We must all continue to voice our concerns to protect ourselves. Grameen Bank is owned by poor women THE Grameen Bank is a world- renowned bank, which is owned by poor rural women. We do not expect a situation to be created where the very existence of the Grameen Bank will be brought into question. In the past 35 years, we have managed to develop the Grameen Bank into an efficient financial organisation. In 1995 we took the decision that we would not take any more foreign aid; over the years we have remained true to that decision. We are able to carry out all the activities of the bank with the deposits from members and the general public. Every year, the bank is able to earn profits. And we are able to return those profits back to the borrowers of the bank; this is a source of great joy for us. The journey started with Tk 856 THIS bank, which started its journey with only Tk 856 in loans, today disburses over Tk 1 ,000 crore in loans per month. The total deposits at the Bank stands at over Tk. 10 ,000 crore. Of this, more than half the deposits come from our borrowers. We even have branches where the amount deposited by the borrowers is twice the amount of their outstanding loans. We have 1150 branches where the deposit of the borrowers are worth 75 per cent or more of their total outstanding loans. This gives a clear indication of the change in economic power which our members have undergone. Of the Tk 5 ,000 crore in savings deposited with the bank by our borrowers, over 97 per cent is the savings of women. This is the greatest source of joy for us. No one else but the women themselves are the sole owners of these savings. Besides this, by taking housing loans, nearly 700 , 000 women have been able to build their own homes. This is another measure of empowerment that has been brought to poor women by the Grameen Bank. The children of our borrowers are now growing up. From the very beginning we have been able to send these children to school. We have given scholarships to many of them. We have been able to provide them with educational loans. We have been able to provide Tk 18 crore in scholarship, and Tk 400 crore in higher educational loans. 50 ,000 boys and girls are now in higher education by taking the higher educational loans. They are now studying to become doctors, engineers and other professionals by going to universities. Some of such loanees in the past have completed their PhD degrees. We have pledged ourselves to provide the next generation of Grameen Bank borrowers with a new, better life full of opportunities. We have convinced them to accept the challenge that ‘We’ll not be job- seekers, we’ll be job-givers.’ Now our challenge is to create the opportunity so that the second generation of Grameen Bank borrowers can move away from poverty for ever. This should now be our goal, and we should strive to achieve this goal as quickly as possible. In a section of the media, there have been numerous stories, rumours and allegations published about the Grameen Bank. As a result of this, wrong impression and misunderstandings have been formed about the Grameen Bank. Taking this opportunity, I would like to say a few words about those stories, rumours and allegations. People may have a misunderstanding that the Grameen Bank operates with aid money from abroad. This is absolutely not true. After 1995 , the Grameen Bank has not accepted any aid from abroad. We are able to carry out our loan programmes with the money deposited with the Grameen Bank by the borrowers and the general public. The total deposits that we have at the Grameen Bank is one and half times the amount that has been disbursed as loans. Therefore, there is no need for us to take loans or aid money from anyone from home and abroad. People have the impression that the interest rates on loans from the Grameen Bank are very high. This is not true. The interest rates on Grameen Bank loans are the lowest in the Bangladesh’s microfinance sector. Our highest interest rate is 20 per cent, on a declining basis and all of our interest rates are simple interest. In other words, interest is not charged on interest accrued. On the other hand, to depositors we pay interest on a compound interest rate; that is, we pay interest on interest accrued. This fact has been clearly laid out in the review committee’s report. Many have said that the Grameen Bank is a government-owned bank. Some have said that it is an NGO. In reality, the Grameen Bank is not a government bank, nor is it an NGO. The Grameen Bank is a non- government bank owned by the poor, created by a special law. There is an allegation that the Grameen Bank uses force against the poor to recoup the money given out as loans. But in reality there is no need to use force against the poor. The borrowers are themselves the owners of the bank. Repament period of the loans can be extended if the borrower needs it. How much they will pay in installment is decided by the borrowers themselves. If a borrower or her husband dies, then the outstanding amount of her loans is forgiven; there will be no need to repay the remaining amount. The bank provides a grant for the funeral of a borrower. The staff of the branch has to be present at the janaza of the borrower. Besides this, every borrower has a sizeable amount of savings deposited with her account at the bank. Many of the borrowers have savings in excess of their total loaned amount. The sooner we are able to remove all the misconceptions and misunderstandings about the Grameen Bank the quicker we will be able to turn our attention to initiatives by citizens and the better it will be for all of us. In trying to bring about social and economic change, initiatives by citizens have a crucial role to play. Side by side of governmental initiatives to reduce poverty and promote positive social and economic change, initatives by citizens have to be gradually increased and expanded. The goals of governmental and private citizens initiatives are the same – to ensure that solutions to the country’s social, economic and environmental problems are found. There are many problems where the only solution currently available to the world is safety-net programmes based on government charity. Along with safety-net programmes we’ll have to introduce programmes to utilise poor people’s creativity and skill. Poor people have to be given opportunities for self-help. Civil society has to come forward with all of its creativity to give rise to this awareness within the poor. I have been attempting to do this through the concept of social business and trying to get others interested in social business. Many have become interested and are coming forward — both within the country and outside the country. I am convinced that in many areas—health, environment, creation of employment, womens’ empowerment, creating many small business initiatives, helping to create initiatives by the youth, etc—social business concept can play a very decisive role. This support is actually support for strengthening citizens initiatives THE support which has been spontaneously expressed for the Grameen Bank from both within the country and abroad is not support only for the Grameen Bank, but it is also an expression of total support for citizens taking initiative on their own to help solve social and economic problems which plague our country. This support has to continue and it has to be reinforced. Steps need to be taken so that this support can be transformed into practical initiatives. Through social businesses, I will ensure that my initiatives continue. I am inviting all to join in and participate in helping solve the problems afflicting our country. I am not proposing that everyone must become involved in social business. Everyone should come forward and find his own way. My main proposal is that there exsists the ability within each of us, to find the practical solutions to social problems; and we have to come forward in utilising that ability. We have to make sure that before we leave this world, we do use this ability, rather than let this ability remain unexplored and unutilised. If by 2030 we are to create a poverty free Bangladesh, then, the foundation for that has to be laid out right now. If we are able to utilize the creative power in each of us, there is no reason why we cannot lay out the foundation today to achieve our goal in 2030. Young of our nation can lead the way in making it happen. Forty years ago, 85 per cent of the population of our country was below the poverty line. Today 32 per cent of our population is below the poverty line. In the next 20 years, is it impossible for us to raise this remaining 32 per cent of our population above the poverty line? I do not believe that it is impossible — especially when we see how unbelievably fast the world is getting every day; and even our own country is changing so speedily; particularly when we notice the ability of our youth to quickly internalise the speed of change in the world at an amazingly high rate. Let us make sure that the Grameen Bank, the bank, which created the opportunity for poor women all around the country to express their latent abilities, is able to continue to achieve more successes. At the same time let us work to make sure that all the initiatives from the civil society can move forward without hinderence and at a fast pace. Let us ensure that we make our nation a nation that is globally admired for its creative solutions to its own problems. We have the opportunity to provide global leadership in finding solutions for problems the whole world is suffering from. With close collaboration between the government and the civil society we can make it happen. Let us not miss our opportunity.