Controversial figure Mohammad Yunus is known of his years-long intimacy with Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. He also has been one of the large donors of Clinton Foundation. Back in 2007, when military-backed interim government seized power in Bangladesh, Mohammad Yunus became over-enthusiastic in entering politics. Subsequently, with the active collaboration of an editor of an English daily in Dhaka, Yunus floated a political party named Nagorik Shokti, which quickly had nosedived and people of Bangladesh do not trust Yunus for his notorious role centering Grameen Bank. At a later stage, when Barack Obama became US president and Hillary Clinton his Secretary of State, Mohammad Yunus made frantic bids in getting Obama’s blessings and expressed his eagerness of becoming head of the government in Bangladesh with Obama administration’s direct intervention. But President Obama did not give nod to its as by then he was fully briefed of fraudulent activities of Yunus centering Grameen Bank.
Since then, Mohammad Yunus became desperate in destabilizing domestic situation in Bangladesh by using his connections in the US and other Western countries. Only recently, he succeeded in having telephonic conversation with Tarique Rahman, a convicted fugitive and acting chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Tarique Rahman has assured Yunus, if he can topple-down Sheikh Hasina’s government with the help of his “connections” in the West, BNP shall elect Yunus as the president once the party comes to power. But, Yunus is not fully satisfied with this offer. Instead, he wants to become the next prime minister with nomination from BNP.
Meanwhile, 40 individuals, including Hillary Clinton wrote an open letter to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Signatories of the letter have expressed their concern over Professor Yunus’ well-being.
The letter endorsed that Professor Yunus does not earn any profit from Grameen Phone or Grameen Telecom. Therefore, it is ‘painful’ to watch him being investigated. The letter also directly termed the ongoing investigations against Grameen Social Business Initiatives harassment.
But, Yunus knows, he has committed serious financial crimes, which makes him nervous. That is why he has become desperate in skipping legal proceedings and possible imprisonment. For this reason, Yunus spent more than US$250,000 for publicizing this letter through numerous PR agencies and by publishing a full-page advertisement in the Washington Post. Although Yunus also tried to get it published in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, both the newspapers did not accept this advertisement. Yunus also tried to get a paid chunk on CNN, CNBC and Fox News to publicize this matter. None of the TV channels have agreed to it.
The Washington Post charged US$73,000 for publishing a five-column advertisement containing the letter written in favor of Yunus. As the content has been published in advertisement category, it was not endorsed by the published of The Washington Post.
While Mohammad Yunus is continuous his notoriety targeting Bangladesh and ruling Awami League, his notorious activities are not countered by the Bangladesh side. It is important that Bangladesh government immediately take steps to expose the ugly face of Yunus, especially his lies centering Sufia Begum and his fraudulent activities centering Hillary Polli (Hillary Village).
