UPDATE: Samiha Esha has a page with profile of and to congratulate Dr Yunus on his achievement.
Was just on the way to work when I heard on the radio that Dr. Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank have been awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Yunus, from Bangladesh, founded the bank which offers loans to the poor in Bangladesh who have no financial security (usually women) [BBC]. He set up the bank in 1976 with just $27 from his own pocket. Thirty years on, the bank has 6.6 million borrowers, of which 97% are women, according to the Grameen website, and the defaulting rate is astonishingly low.
The theory is that rural poor women are more responsible with money than their husbands, who may blow it on gambling, drinks or prostitutes. The women use the money to start home businesses which if prospers can be used to pay back the loan with interest.
The Nobel Peace Prize honours those who do the "most or best work during the year for fraternity between the nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies or for the holding and promotion of peace congresses".
It's a proud moment to be a Bangladeshi. Historically the other person of note to win the Nobel prize from Bangladesh was Rabindranath Tagore, for Literature.
Muhammad Yunus - Wikipedia profile
Grameen Bank - Website | Wikipedia
Tags: Muhammad Yunus Grameen Bank Nobel Peace Prize
The personal, official blog of author Mezbauddin Mahtab
Salaam.
ReplyDelete"...Tomar majhe shopner shuru, tomar majhei shesh. Joto bhalo laga, bhalo basha, tumi... amar Bangladesh..."
LRB - Bangladesh
Alhamdulillah!!!
Congratulations Mezba! What an honour not only for Bangladesh but for the whole of Muslim and Asian community.
ReplyDeleteProud day to be Muslim too.
ReplyDeleteDr. Yunus for President!!!
ReplyDeleteFor a change, Bangladesh will not be associated with floods and poverty.
Proud to be Bangladeshi.
Was Robi Thakur an Indian Bengali or a Bangladeshi Bengali? I thought he was an Indian bengali
ReplyDeleteEm: Wa'salaam alaikum.
ReplyDeletelol.. Yup
Also...
aaamar shonar bangla
ami tomay bhalobashi....
Suroor, aisha: Truly it is a great honour for Muslims and South Asians as a whole. When the world is trying to stereotype south asian muslims as a basket case here's one that ends up winning the noble prize.
shovon: ya all of sudden BBC was showing how all the poor in b'desh are being helped by grameen bank.
anon: tagore died in 1941 so it was before partition. While he was born in Calcutta, most of his famous songs and poems praising bengal were based in what is today Bangladesh, for example his famous song 'Rangamatir Rong-e' which talks about Rangamati, Bangladesh.
Man, I’ve been away from the blogosphere for soo long! I don’t even know what’s going on. Can’t wait til all this studying stuff is over and done with. then I can finally focus on making some hard cash! Oh and of course, keeping my blog running.
ReplyDeleteBut I did manage to post today! And it was for the same reason as you! I was watching CBC News at 10pm or something and they show Yunus! We like started screaming to our Dad and he almost ha d a heart attack cuz he thought there was a robbery or something! lol
I'm sooo happy and proud today! Finally Bangladesh won something other than Transperancy International's Corruption prize!
Go Yunus go!
Man, I’ve been away from the blogosphere for soo long! I don’t even know what’s going on. Can’t wait til all this studying stuff is over and done with. then I can finally focus on making some hard cash! Oh and of course, keeping my blog running.
ReplyDeleteI did manage to post today though and it was for the same reason as you! We were watching CBC News when they showed Yunus! We got so excited that we almost gave my sleepy dad a heart attack. lol!
I'm soo proud to be a Bangladeshi today! Finally we won something other than the usual Transparency International Award for being the most corrupt!
Go Yunus Go!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteSalaam.....Well Its really great Pride for us that Dr Yunus Won Nobel Peace Prize From Bangladesh. Its really Time for big celebration with His success.....:)
Congrats Dr Muhammad Yunus for his Great Achievement.
take Care........Have great Days....Bye...:)
Wishes N Cares,
Samiha Esha
Dr Yunus was also chosen for being a positive example from the Muslim world.
ReplyDeleteMr Yunus was chosen was his positive role in the Islamic world
Ole Danbolt Mjoes, the chairman of the Nobel Committee, said that one reason Mr Yunus was chosen was his positive role in the Islamic world: “This idea was generated in a mostly Muslim country.”
Wow, Congrats!!!
ReplyDeleteIs he a first Bengali to won a Nobel Prize?
ha i knew someone would bring up the bit about Tagore and bangladesh. in any case either which way he was an icon for Bengalis of 'either side'.
ReplyDeleteso neena - tagore was the first bengali to win a Nobel prize - actually the first Asian - so there you go - us bengalis are always fond of pointing this out! :-)
Don't forget AMartya Sen! He's Bengali too! And he won in 1998 for Economics. His family is from Dhaka eh? It's on his Nobel Bio.
ReplyDeleteYep, we Bengali's definitely get excited by this kinda stuff! lol /d^_^b\