The Sun, the Moon
and the Truth

Because Norway is a 58% stakeholder in Grameenphone, it conducted an investigation and cleared all allegations of any misappropriation of funds by the organization. However, this did not stop the Bangladesh government in launching its crusade against Dr. Yunus and Grameenphone, clearly aimed at defaming and discrediting a citizen of Bangladesh who, in any

Furthermore, there was the case of the World Bank refusing to finance the Padma Bridge on the basis of what it stated was corruption at the highest levels of Sheikh Hasina’s government. In a convoluted move, the Awami League government decided to use the World Bank’s refusal as one influenced by Dr. Yunus. Once again, the allegations were baseless.

The reason behind Sheikh Hasina’s hostilities towards Dr. Yunus date back to 2007. At this time, the Bangladeshi army was backing a caretaker government and a mechanism was launched to get the two bickering begums, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, out of politics. Both leaders were imprisoned, while the army and the bureaucrats, who were at the center of power, chose Dr. Yunus as a refreshing alternative for the leadership of the country. He had an untarnished image and was respected and admired internationally as a Nobel laureate who had lifted hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi women out of poverty. The plan eventually fizzled out, but to this day, Sheikh Hasina has clearly not forgotten the incident.

Dr. Yunus’ friendship with Bill and Hillary Clinton also provided a false narrative that all three had a hand in the World Bank’s withdrawal of funding for the Padma Bridge. The delusions did not cease there. It was also alleged by Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League that the Clintons endorsed Dr. Yunus for the Nobel Prize, and miraculously, he received it! Needless to say, Hillary Clinton is also on Hasina Wajed’s “hate list” based on these concoctions.

Time and time and time again, decade after decade, we have been subjected to witnessing the mischaracterization and vilification of individuals, organizations, opposing political parties and adversaries by the leadership in Bangladesh and all without logic, basis and, most importantly, ethical grounds. We have seen it happening to all members of the opposition, main opposition leader Khaleda Zia, former President and freedom fighter, General Ziaur Rahman, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court SK Sinha, internationally celebrated and respected photographer, Shahidul Alam, most recently the Bangladesh cricket team captain, Shakib Al Hassan and of course Dr. Yunus, just to name a few.

The very unfortunate circumstances obviously create a vacuum in which the future generations of Bangladesh can look up to a less and less of a shrinking list of accomplished Bangladeshis to aspire to and idolize. Success based on honest hard work and intellect is somehow transformed into a negative because it upsets the temperament or powers that be. Even a Nobel Prize cannot protect a person from persecution in present-day Bangladesh and even a Nobel laureate is treated like a culprit! Granted, Dr. Yunus was recently granted bail after an arrest warrant was issued against him and this gave the ruling party and its leadership the much desired and self-proclaimed image of being champions of humanitarianism.

Even if the majority of Bangladeshis bought into the narrative of defamation against Dr. Yunus or anyone else with a similar misfortune, (and this is most certainly not the case), to quote Sidhhartha Gautama Buddha, “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.”