Muhammad Yunus: We dream of creating a new Bangladesh

Rajini Vaidyanathan, BBC News presenter and correspondent, speaks
to Muhammad Yunus, interim leader of Bangladesh.


The 84-year-old is perhaps one of the world’s best-known
Bangladeshis. Described as the banker to the world’s poor, he
gained international recognition as a Nobel prize-winning
economist, who founded the Grameen microfinance bank, which
delivered small loans to economically deprived people.


It was a model applauded by many and is one which now operates
across more than 100 countries worldwide.


But it’s also a model which was criticised by his political rival
- Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who accused
Mr Yunus of sucking blood from the poor. Her government made a
series of allegations against him, including embezzlement, all of
which he denies.


And it was the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s government last
August that saw Muhammad Yunus thrust into the political
spotlight.


Student-led protests saw thousands take to the streets in an
uprising against her Awami league government, which was accused
of election rigging, human rights abuses and jailing critics.


When Ms Hasina fled to neighbouring India, student leaders picked
Muhammad Yunus to unite a divided nation. As well as promising to
stamp out corruption, he’s also faced the challenges of managing
a refugee crisis on his doorstep and navigating cuts to foreign
aid.


So, after nearly a year in the job, how is he faring? The
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Presenter: Rajini Vaidyanathan Producers: Ben Cooper and Junaid
Ahmed Editor: Nick Holland


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(Image: Muhammad Yunus. Credit: Reuters/Yves Herman)