The House yesterday passed Grameen Bank (Amendment) Bill, 2012 amid boycott by the lone independent MP Fazlul Azim.
The Jatiya Sangsad also passed three more bills — International Crimes (Tribunals) (Second Amendment) Bill, 2012, Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2012 and Hindu Marriage Registration Bill, 2012.
Fazlul Azim in parliament strongly blasted the government, saying the Grameen Bank bill was being passed to grab the internationally renowned and well managed
microcredit organisation.
In the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Azim said the government was enacting the law as some high-ups were angry at Prof Mohammad Yunus, the founder of GB.
“But you will not be able to destroy a person like Prof Yunus, who is respected all over the world,” Azim said.
The government spoke in favour of women empowerment; at the same time it was clipping the wings of 84 lakh poor women who were the owners of Grameen Bank, he added.
“No other financial organisation is running as well as Grameen Bank. Money has been looted from Sonali Bank. But without arresting anybody involved in the Sonali Bank
scam, the government is out to grab Grameen Bank.”
In reply, Planning Minister AK Khandker, who placed the bill in parliament for passage, said the passing of this bill was crucial for the appointment of a GB managing
director, a position which had remained vacant for months and so had caused disruption in the smooth functioning of the institution.
Later, Fazlul Haque walked out of the house to protest the bill and returned after its passage.
Under the terms of the bill, the chairman of GB in consultation with the board of directors will form a selection committee to prepare a three-member panel for
appointing the managing director.
The board, with approval from the Bangladesh Bank, will appoint the MD from amongst the panel.
On August 23, President Zillur Rahman promulgated the amended Grameen Bank Ordinance, 1983, giving more powers to the bank’s chairman in picking the managing director.
Earlier on August 2, the cabinet approved in principle the draft of the ordinance.
The planning minister in parliament on September 11 placed the Grameen Bank (Amendment) Bill, 2012, which was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the
finance ministry for scrutiny.
The JS body submitted its report before the House on Monday.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
