HC bench rejected Yunus's writ petitions

An HC bench summarily rejected two writ petitions filed challenging the legality of the central bank's order. He will appeal against the verdict with the Supreme Court, his lawyers said.

Delivering the verdict, the court said the microcredit pioneer's posting as the MD of Grameen Bank since 1999 was illegal as he reached the age of 60 by then.

The MD of Grameen Bank is an official who cannot hold the office for an unlimited period, it added.

The board of directors of Grameen Bank is the authority to appoint its MD with approval from Bangladesh Bank. But it did not happen in Yunus' case since 1999, the court said.

The HC bench of Justice Mohammad Momtazuddin Ahmed and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore observed that there was no substance in the writ petitions.

Details of the grounds on which the HC rejected the writ petitions could not be known immediately, since the copy of the verdict's full text was not released yesterday.

The Grameen Bank authorities expressed disappointment with the verdict.

Jannat-E-Quanine, general manager for information and media co-ordination of the institution, in a statement said, "We have received the order and are very disappointed. We are consulting with our lawyers about the next steps. We hope that in the meantime nothing will jeopardise the stability of Grameen Bank."

"Eight million borrowers and 26,000 members of Grameen Bank have brought the bank to this level through their hard work and are deeply involved in building the future for their children -- we hope nothing will disrupt that," it added.

Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud, a counsel for Yunus, told journalists in his Supreme Court Bar chamber, "On hearing the verdict, Dr Yunus asked all his counsels whether he should move an appeal with the Supreme Court. All of us suggested going to the Supreme Court to challenge the High Court verdict."

"Dr Yunus might move a provisional leave to appeal before the chamber judge of the Appellate Division tomorrow," he said yesterday.

He said his client may continue in the office of MD of Grameen Bank until its board of directors appoints his successor, as per the Bangladesh Bank's "removal letter".

Rokanuddin said it is not a setback for Dr Yunus and he has not been reduced in honour. No-one is asking questions about Yunus but about what happened in court, he said.

He said Yunus' lawyers expressed to the High Court on Monday their apprehension that the writ petitions would be rejected, and the apprehension has become true through the judgement.

Rokan hoped that the Supreme Court will cancel the HC verdict after hearing the appeal. There are many precedents in the history of judiciary that the Appellate Division set aside HC verdicts, he said.

"We believe in the rule of law, and the supremacy of the constitution, and we have full confidence in the Supreme Court that we will get justice," Rokan said.

Everything is still now in favour of Dr Muhammad Yunus, he added. "Ordinary people of Bangladesh treat Dr Yunus as a great hope and a matter of pride and achievement. There was no great man like Yunus in Bangladesh except Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman," Rokan told the media.

"It is abnormal, unimaginable and surprising that the High Court passed the judgement without issuing any rule," said Barrister Sara Hossain, Yunus' another counsel, in an immediate reaction, terming the day as a sad one for the whole country.

In an SMS she said, "Today is a sad day for Bangladesh, and for all of us who practise before these courts. The government has attacked and vilified one of our most respected citizens, Prof Yunus, who won the Nobel Prize for Bangladesh."

The government appears intent on seizing the Grameen Bank which Prof Yunus founded and built, she added. "We are shocked but hardly surprised at today's order. We apprehended we would not get justice, and we have not got justice," she wrote.

The lawyer went on, "The court has upheld a grossly illegal order and made an extra-ordinary declaration that Prof Yunus' term of his office expired when he reached 60 in 1999. And that the central bank's clear audits of Grameen and their engagement with Prof Yunus for ten years since amount to nothing."

"If that's the case we should perhaps ask the Nobel Committee whether they would seize the Nobel Prize which was given to Prof Yunus in 2006," she quipped.

No senior counsel for Yunus was present in the court during the verdict delivery. Dr Kamal Hossain, Mahmudul Islam, and Rokanuddin Mahmud argued for Yunus during the three days of hearing on the writ petitions.

Hasina, Santu should win Nobel Peace prize: Attorney General

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam at a briefing in his office told reporters that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and adivasi leader Santu Larma should have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, for their contribution in establishing peace in the hills.

Bangladeshi descent becomes Michigan Congressman

For the first time in the history of the United States of America, a Bangladeshi descent, democratic member of the Michigan Senate Hansen Hashem Clarke won a congressional seat to the United States House of Representatives.

After winning the congressional seat, held by Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick for more than 20 years, Clarke said he will try to fulfill the dreams of people of United States, different sources said.

Clarke was born in Detroit, Michigan to a Bangladeshi American father, Mozaffar Ali Hashem, hailed from Sylhet and an African American mother, Thelma Clarke. Clarke visited his village home few years ago.

His father died when he was a child. Clarke attended Cass Technical High School, and then was admitted to a prestigious east-coast prep school to complete his high school.

Clarke studied at Cornell University, graduating with a degree in fine arts. While at the university, he became interested in politics.

He was elected to the student seat on the Cornell University Board of Trustees and was a member of the Quill and Dagger society. He then earned a law degree from Georgetown Law School in 1987.

Clarke worked as chief of staff to US Representative John Conyers, as well as in Wayne County during the administration of Edward H McNamara.

Kiwis white washed by Tigers

Rubel Hossain's searing yorker uprooted New Zealand's long-standing bastion over the Tigers and, like his raised fist, took his team into new heights in world cricket. The incredibly tight three-run win on 17 October completed the much-coveted 4-0 whitewash of a major Test-playing nation, an exceptional highlight for Bangladesh.

The series win, especially the result, took Bangladesh on a par with West Indies in the International Cricket Council ODI rankings with 67 points, putting the Tigers within the top-eight for the first time in their 24-year international history.

The Tigers earlier beat the Kiwis by 9 runs in the first one-dayer, won the third by seven wickets and the fourth again by 9 runs. The second match was washed out.

The Kiwis, for their part, made a complete mess of chasing a moderate 175 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, faltering with their score on 171 runs in 49.3 overs.

With eight runs from six balls needed to win, tail-ender Kyle Mills guided Rubel's misguided full-toss to the boundary. A ball later though, the paceman returned the faith of captain Shakib Al Hasan by knocking back his leg-stump and picking up his fourth wicket, sending the Tigers and the 25,000-strong holiday crowd into wild celebrations.

Rubel, the boy from Bagerhat, had a say from the beginning of the New Zealand innings, sending back openers Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder cheaply and forcing Kane Williamson, the previous match's centurion, to guide one to the hands of second slip. After Bradley Watling's run-out, a lot depended on Ross Taylor but he too failed, missing a straight one from Abdur Razzak as the Kiwis collapsed to 20 for five.

It could easily have been 41 for six in the 13th over but Junaed Siddiqui dropped a simple catch at slip offered by Daniel Vettori's late cut off Mahmudullah Riyad. The New Zealand skipper latched on to that life as he added 86 runs for the sixth wicket with Grant Elliott.

The partnership threatened to take the game out of the Tigers' reach but again, one player's determination turned the tide.

In the 31st over, Vettori, on 43, chipped the ball between long-on and deep mid-wicket, only for Shafiul Islam to run 15 yards and dive full-length to his right to pull off a phenomenal catch. It instantly brought back memories of the same player's blinder during a Twenty20 final last season.

Soon though, Nathan McCullum took advantage of Junaed's slippery fingers as the Rajshahi lad misjudged one inside the circle at square-leg. But the older McCullum failed to make Bangladesh pay, failing to connect a charge towards Shakib Al Hasan a few balls later.

Elliott, witnessing the mayhem from the other end, reached his fifty through another dropped catch (by Mahmudullah) but he too, gave it up soon after getting a life. The right-handed batsman known for getting the Kiwis out of trouble, holed out at mid-on for 59 off 105 balls.

It was then left to the last pair of Mills and Hamish Bennett as they crawled towards what looked like an unlikely victory for the Kiwis. They added 26 with Bennett going unbeaten on nought from 24 balls.

Apart from Rubel's four, Razzak and Shakib got two each while Sohrawardi Shuvo picked up one wicket.

But there weren't as many twists and turns earlier in the day as the Tigers flattered to deceive with the bat, being bowled out for just 174 runs in 44.2 overs.

Imrul Kayes, who made 34, held fort after southpaws Junaed and Shahriar Nafees departed early. Shakib again made an effort to get the Tigers moving with his enterprising 36 but once his fifth-wicket partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim ended in the 29th over, things unravelled fast.

The Kiwis were better in the field and showed an aggressive intent that was missing in the three previous outings but with the bat in hand, they fell flat as the Tigers put the foot down and in the words of coach Jamie Siddons, "The whitewash became possible".