Professor Yunus resigns from his post as Managing Director of the in the hope of avoiding further attacks and violence against Grameen Bank staff members.
Friends of Grameen express their ongoing support for Professor Yunus, and insist that they will continue fighting to preserve the independence of the Grameen Bank.
Following reports of torture inflicted upon the Chairman of the Grameen Bank Employee Association,
and multiple attempts to intimidate and bribe the director ladies on the Board, Professor Yunus has decided to resign from his post of Managing Director, without waiting for the official and effective outcome of the legal procedures. He hopes that his stepping down will ensure that staff and the Bank can continue to function despite the government takeover actions.
In a statement released yesterday, Professor Yunus explained: "I am taking this step in order to prevent undue disruption of the activities of Grameen Bank and to ensure my colleagues and our 8 million members, and owners of the bank, are not subjected to any difficulty in discharging their responsibilities”.
The Deputy Managing Director of the Bank, Mrs. Nurjahan Begum will step up until a new Managing Director is appointed.
For Friends of Grameen, this brave and courageous decision testifies of the commitment and attachment of Professor Yunus to the Grameen Bank, and his profound respect for all the Bank staff.
Maria Nowak, Chairman of the Executive Committee of Friends and founder of the French microfinance organisation ADIE said: “We are terribly saddened by the outcome of months of harassment. However, we remain hopeful that, following Professor Yunus’ dignified decision to step down, the Government of Bangladesh will preserve the unique Grameen Bank model, without betraying the trust, or compromising the interests of its members.”
About Friends of Grameen
“Friends of Grameen” is a voluntary association established under the French law of 1901. The purpose of the association is the promotion and development of microcredit and social business, in particular the microcredit activities of Grameen Bank and its affiliates. The Honorary Committee is chaired by Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Executive Committee is chaired by Maria Nowak, President of ADIE, a pioneering French microfinance institution created in 1989.
Press contact:
Emilie Rapley: 00 33 1 41 86 76 14 / 00 33 6 29 22 82 01