Parliament: Without naming him, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told Parliament that former Grameen Bank Managing Director Dr Muhammad Yunus had lobbied World Bank with the help of Hillary Clinton to stop the funding for the Padma Bridge project and conducted a worldwide propaganda against her after losing the post following a court verdict.
 
"That gentleman lost both the cases in court. And due to the law, he (Yunus) lost the post of MD (managing director). Grameen Bank will run as per the law as it was formed through the law," she said.
 
The Leader of the House said this replying to a supplementary question from Jatiya Party MP AKM Maidul Islam (Kurigram-3) during her scheduled question-answer session in Parliament.
 
The Prime Minister said although renowned lawyer Dr Kamal Hossain and his daughter argued for the former Grameen Bank MD, he had to lose both the cases to his anger. “And his wrath fell on the Padma Bridge project,” she said.
 
She said Dr Yunus along with the editor of a country's renowned daily had met the then World Bank President and also lobbied others, including former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and stopped the World Bank funding for the Padma Bridge project bringing allegation of corruption conspiracy.
 
"But, I do politics for people's welfare, not for gaining personal interest and making own fortune through plundering fund," she said, adding that her government has also took it as a challenge to implement the Padma Bridge project with own fund.
 
Sheikh Hasina alleged that after losing his post, the renowned person got angered and put all the accusations on her although she had nothing to do with the matter. “The former Grameen Bank MD then appointed lobbyists and spent scores of money and even former US First Lady and Secretary of State phoned her to know why Dr Muhammad Yunus was removed from his post,” she said.
 
"But, I then replied that he (Yunus) was not removed, but he lost his cases in the court and the government has nothing to do with the matter as the age limit for the MD post was fixed at 60 years and he had already crossed 70 by that time," she added.
 
She also said Dr Yunus could consider himself fortunate as the court did not order to forfeit the salaries, allowances and other benefits he had taken for 10 years after the age limit.
 
The Prime Minister said after the exit of the former Grameen Bank MD, her government took various steps so that the bank could run properly and its interest rate now does not exceed 27 percent which earlier used to reach even 40 percent.
 
She said Finance Minister AMA Muhith and her International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi first went to Dr Muhammad Yunus and advised him to leave his MD post, saying he could still keep him associated with the bank as an Emeritus Adviser. "But, rejecting that proposal, he (Yunus) filed two cases with the court against the government and Bangladesh Bank."
 
Recalling the background of introducing the service of Grameenphone in the country, Hasina said during her tenure from 1996-2001, Yunus used to repeatedly visit her office and request her to give the licence for the mobile phone operator promising that its dividend would go to Grameen Bank to help alleviate poverty. "Although Grameenphone came out 3rd in the tender bid, we'd given the permission due to his promise," she said.
 
She lamented that he sold out most of the shares of Grameenphone considering those as his private property and no dividend was transferred to Grameen Bank, describing it as cheating.
 
Mentioning that the former Grameen Bank MD has now engaged in his new venture, social business, the Prime Minister alleged that although he possesses huge funds, including fixed deposit, he does not pay taxes. "There're some people who are born with such fortune that whatever injustice they do, no one considers this as injustice. But, in our case, a very small deviation is often considered a very big thing," she said.
 
Noting that although only Grameen Bank was established as a statutory body which is outside the purview of tax, she said but the former Grameen Bank MD set up some 40- 50 associate companies and those were not tax-free. "But, he didn't pay taxes from those companies."
 
Hasina also said the former Grameen Bank MD also failed to give proper information about the source of his fixed deposit and suggested that the Finance Minister look into the matter as it is his responsibility.