The government’s step to arrange the workshop for future structure of Grameen Bank as per the desire of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus had been cancelled because of the same reason.
An official of the Bank and Financial Institutions Division at the finance ministry, seeking anonymity, said the division had asked the commission to cancel the workshop after Yunus raised objections about it.
The Grameen Bank Commission cancelled the workshop slated for July 2, after a number of invitees raised questions about the commission’s jurisdiction in arranging such an event.
“Muhammad Yunus urged opinions from microcredit experts saying the commission has no knowledge about microcredit institutions,” Chairman of the commission and former secretary Mamun-ur-Rashid told the Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday.
“We arranged the workshop on future structure of the microcredit organisation but the government did not give its consent, so we just cancelled it,” he said.
“In our interim report we have quoted Yunus’s comment on necessary expert opinion on microcredit organisation,” he added.
The interim report of the commission quotes Yunus saying he had serious concerns about the ability of the members of the commission to be deliberate on the issues listed in the Term of Reference.
The quotes read: “There are a lot of experts on microcredit........when there are so many researchers, so many administrators, so many experts, why responsibility has been assigned to persons who probably have no exposure in microcredit…”
“…one begins to wonder whether the government wants someone to tell them that Grameen Bank is a poorly managed institution, needing overhauling.”
Mamun-ur-Rashid said the commission will submit the final report within the extended time period of 20 days.
“Our final report on the capitalisation of Grameen Bank and its future course will not be hampered because of the protests of civil society members, GB female directors and staff,” he said.
Mamun-ur- Rashid assured that the report will definitely recognise the rights of GB members and its future course of action.