Salaam and greetings!

Recently I posted the following message on another forum. I thought it might also interest the NABIC-L subscribers.

Mr. Keramot Ali Miah wrote:

>Dr. Yunus's Grameen bank has recently been promoting such negative 
>commercial forces, at the cost of eroding the family ties that have been the
>cornerstone of rural Bangladesh. Not surprisingly, Hillary Clinton, (with
>the backing of Corporate America) has congratulated Grameen Bank
>for its work.

As an economist with interest in development and rural financial markets, I have taken keen interest in the evolution of the Grameen Bank. Grameen Bank, of course, is more than a bank now; it is a movement that has transcended the national boundary of Bangladesh.

In addition to making a real and positive difference in the lives of many, it has become a vanguard for similar changes around the world. Even powerful international institutions, such as the World Bank, has reexamined its developed approach and many of its programs as a result of the success and recognition of the Grameen Bank.

I have also come across many allegations against Grameen Bank. Not unlike the kind of allegations I am seeing on Alochona, they are almost invariably anecdotal or polemical. So far, as an economist I have not been able to identify a single scholarly study to lend credence to most of these accusations. If I have missed any such study, please let me know.

Those who make such allegations also have failed so far to produce evidence of any PATTERN of abuse in Grameen Bank's recovery programs that is attributable to Bank's deliberate promotion of such abuse.

As far as the international donor support is concerned, it is expected that they will fund and promote those programs that they consider closer to their own values and interest. That they have tagged themselves to Grameen Bank is no surprise. But Grameen Bank is a contribution that is genuinely homegrown. Can any one deny that?

As far as traditional family ties are concerned, this does remain a weak point of Grameen Bank as well as other NGOs. While there are many NGOs that are deliberate in targeting traditional ties for change, in case of Grameen Bank it has not been so, even though it has upset the status quo deeply.

Mr. Keramot Ali did not articulate further what he meant as the traditional ties, but much of these ties are grossly messed up any way. For example, traditional family ties in Bangladesh are rooted in Islam; yet, the reality is a gross deviation from Islam. Consider the fact that the first person who embraced Islam after Prophet Muhammad (s) was not just a female and his wife, but also his former employer. Yes, his former EMPLOYER. She was owner of capital and assets that she used and managed as business person employing other people. Nevertheless, in most muslim societies, including in Bangladesh, those who are more dedicated to Islam, they are more vehement in denying the women of today their rightful place as granted, cherished and envisioned by Islam.

Grameen Bank has appeared on the scene, not inspired by Islam. But if Muslims, inspired and guided by Islam, themselves do not pursue the right kind of ties and empowerment which is dynamic, healthy and stable, then just criticizing others about what they are doing is not going to do the job.

Dr. Yunus made a creative and effective effort that, once again - not inspired by Islam - yet, should remind us of the Prophetic teaching where someone came to him seeking help due to his poverty. The Prophet (s) arranged for him to get an axe and showed him the way to earn his livelihood and be self-reliant permanently. If you are not already familiar with the Prophet's practical anti-poverty solution that changed the trajectory of life from dependence to self-reliance, from humiliation to self-respect, from poverty to sufficiency, then read the Hadith in Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 2, #1637.

In the name of prevalent traditions, for very long time, we have tolerated and perpetuated poverty, deprivation, discrimination, injustice, illiteracy and so on. Then, on top of that we have provided a defense for these malaise by attributing many of these traditions to Islam, while Islam is often contrary to these.

Yes, family relationship is a cornerstone of any healthy society. The West is paying a heavy price for trading family relationship for any and everything. We do not have to follow the same route. Instead of criticizing Grameen Bank, let us unreservedly recognize the valuable contribution it has made and the way it has opened the eyes of so many. If there are areas in which improvements are needed, let us identify those areas and if such improvement is not possible within the existing Grameen Bank movement, there is a vast, widely open field in Bangladesh to introduce new models that we might think is better.

The Prophet (s) said: "...he who helps remove the hardship of another will have his difficulties removed by Allah in this world and the Hereafter..." [Riyadus Saleheen, Vol. 1, #245]

Farooq

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Mohammad Omar Farooq, PhD
Associate Professor of Economics and Finance
Upper Iowa University

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