Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus has been appointed as the new acting Prime Minister of Bangladesh by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, according to the president’s press secretary. This decision came after a meeting between President Shahabuddin and the coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, with the heads of the armed forces also present. The remaining members of the interim government will be finalized after consulting with various political parties, the press secretary confirmed.
Dr. Yunus, currently abroad, hailed the removal of Sheikh Hasina’s government as the “second liberation” of the country. He is set to assume office on August 7, 2024, following the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Who is Muhammad Yunus?
Born on June 28, 1940, in Bathua village in Hathazari, Chittagong District, Dr. Muhammad Yunus is a well-known Bangladeshi social entrepreneur, banker, economist, and civil society leader. He is the pioneer of the global microcredit movement and is affectionately referred to as the ‘banker to the poor.’
Yunus and the Grameen Bank, which he founded, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for their efforts in lifting millions out of poverty by providing small loans to the rural poor. He moved to Chittagong in 1944 and excelled academically, earning BA and MA degrees in Economics from Dhaka University.
Apart from his work in microfinance, Dr. Yunus has received numerous accolades, including the US Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. He has also been involved in various international initiatives, such as serving on the board of the United Nations Foundation and co-founding Yunus Social Business – Global Initiatives.
Despite facing legal challenges in Bangladesh, which many believe were politically motivated, Dr. Yunus has received 50 honorary doctorate degrees from universities worldwide and 113 international awards from 26 countries. Fortune Magazine named him one of the 12 greatest entrepreneurs of the current era, while Foreign Policy and New Statesman have recognized him as one of the world’s most influential figures.
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