Finance Minister AMA Muhith has expressed his utter frustration over the activities of the Grameen Bank board, which remains non-functional for long due to legal complexities.
“Though I am the founder member of Grameen Bank, the work of the bank has come to a complete halt because of the ongoing legal difficulties following an injunction issued by a court on the appointment of Managing Director of the bank,” he told a private television channel, Maasranga, in response to a question about the current status of Grameen Bank.
Terming it a tragedy, the minister categorically blamed professor Yunus for halting the progress of the bank. He, however, admitted the fact that the bank was the brainchild of Yunus.
“If a renowned person creates any organisation, he does not want to quit the organisation, which is a big problem of the famous persons,” said the minister.
Muhith also said: “The chairman of Grameen Bank wanted to quit from his position on health ground, but I have declined to accept his resignation letter to avoid a vacuum like situation as we are already facing a vacuum in the position of managing director.”
Regarding the appointment of head of election commission to conduct polls in the Grameen Bank, he said, “I am still talking to the law minister regarding the appointment of a former district judge as the chief election commissioner for holding the election within a year.”
“We are now in a stagnant position on the development of the noble-prize winner Grameen Bank as all the activities of the bank is held up because of the anti-GB activities, which was launched by professor Yunus and his followers.”
On November 5, this year, the government strengthened its hold over Grameen Bank, amending the rules of election to the borrower-directors to give itself the authority to appoint board members for the micro-lender.
According to a Bank and Financial Institution Division circular, the government will now form a three-member committee to elect nine members of the 12-member board, and not the central bank, which refused to take the additional responsibility.
The three-member body will comprise of two deputy managing directors, one from a state-owned commercial bank and another from Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation. A former district judge will serve as the chief election commissioner, said the amended rules.
