UN worried by issues related to Prof Yunus

The United Nations has expressed concerns over the recent incidents relating to Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus.

“We are very concerned about the reports that we have seen coming out of Bangladesh on issues related to him,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric at a briefing in New York on Thursday.

Dujarric was asked if the UN Secretary-General was aware that Prof Yunus yesterday told reporters that his Grameen offices were seized, and that the government filed new charges against him.

Dujarric said the UN is very much aware about it.

“I’d have to reiterate that Mr Yunus has been very much a valued partner of the United Nations through the years. He’s been an advocate for us both in official and unofficial capacity and supporting a number of initiatives surrounding the Millennium Development Goals, the Sustainable Development Goals, and our development work in general.”

The comment comes following a press conference by Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday when he said he and his colleagues were going through a disastrous situation due to an “unlawful” takeover of offices at the Grameen Telecom Bhaban by a group of outsiders.

On the evening of February 12, a group of people, claiming to be affiliated with Grameen Bank, barged into the Grameen Telecom Bhaban, and said the current Grameen Bank board appointed seven directors, including the chairman, for Grameen Kalyan and Grameen Telecom, two social business ventures established by the Nobel Laureate, according to the officials of the organisations.

The group was seen on the following days, they said. The office of Grameen Telecom was found locked yesterday.

Meanwhile, Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday said that the government has nothing to do with the cases against Prof Yunus.

“Regarding Dr Yunus, I can clearly state that firstly, the National Board of Revenue filed a case against him. The independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a [separate] case against him. The government has nothing to do here.”