The women directors of Grameen Bank have expressed their concern over the new rules for election of board, saying it will create the chance of political interference in the bank’s operation.
In a statement yesterday, they feared discipline would be broken in the Nobel Prize winner bank, leading to cast negative impact on loan recovery and distribution.
“New rules will bring political directors to the bank board, which may lead to corruption and misuse of power,” said the statement signed by Tahsina Khatun, a female director. The female directors warned that 86 lakh members of the bank will together resist “the evil move to destroy the bank.”
“16 crore people of Bangladesh is with us. Finance minister is trying to bring politics to the Grameen Bank. But we know how to protect our bank,” the statement said. On April 6, the government issued a rule empowering Bangladesh Bank to elect board of directors for Grameen Bank.
Earlier, Grameen Bank has the authority to appoint directors for its board. The board election will be conducted by the officials of Bangladesh Bank and the scheduled banks under the new rules. All the Grameen Bank branches have been divided into nine constituencies and direct elections will be held in those constituencies under the central bank supervision.
“It’s not difficult for anyone to understand that the hasty move to elect representatives through a new system before the tenure of existing elected representatives expires is ill-motivated,” the statement reads.
If the government wants to conduct election, they should do it among 86 lakh member voters in 2,567 branches.
The statement said it was no room for Dr Mohammad Yunus to make any influence over the board.
It said Grameen Bank directors do not gain any wealth from the bank and there was no loan scam in last four decades of its operation.
'Pro-Yunus board dismissed'
Meanwhile, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the nine pro-Yunus board members have been dismissed as the new election rule to constitute Grameen Bank board has already been circulated.
Nobel laureate prof Yunus had picked the directors through a so-called election process for the last 30 years, which is an utterly undemocratic practice, he told the Dhaka Tribune, following a press conference at his secretariat office on Saturday.
Asked about taking opinion from pro-Yunus board of directors for the new election rule, Muhith said those are pro- Yunus people. “So, why we would take opinion from them.”
The government issued the new Grameen Bank (Election of Directors) Rules 2014 early this month, giving the central bank authority to hold elections to elect nine independent directors. The election should be held within six months of issuing the circular.
