Hundreds of crores of taka siphoned off from Grameen Bank: Chairman
Grameen Bank Chairman AKM Saiful Majid revealed in a press conference held at the bank's headquarters in Mirpur, the capital, that a comprehensive audit has uncovered evidence indicating the siphoning off of hundreds of crores of taka from the Grameen Bank.
During the press conference Grameen Bank Chairman stated, "After conducting a seven-month-long audit covering the period from 1983 to 2023 we have discovered evidence suggesting that hundreds of crores of taka have been redirected from the bank. We have filed a general diary (GD) regarding this matter, and I am refraining from naming individuals until we gather all the necessary information."
The press conference was organized by Grameen Bank to address recent accusations made by Nobel laureate Dr. Yunus. On February 15, Dr. Yunus accused Grameen Bank of taking control of eight other Grameen institutions and operating them according to its own methods. Majid responded to Yunus's accusations, stating that attempts are being made to tarnish Grameen Bank's reputation through unfounded claims of seizing the institutions.
AKM Saiful Majid clarified that Dr. Yunus has no ownership in the seven institutions, including Grameen Telecom and Grameen Kalyan, for which the Grameen Bank's board of directors nominated new directors and a chairman on February 12. Dr. Yunus will step down from the chairmanship in these companies following the new nominations.
Majid emphasized that these charitable organizations were established using funds from Grameen Bank, and Dr. Yunus does not hold any shares in them. He also corrected the number of institutions mentioned by Dr. Yunus, stating that Grameen Bank has sent letters to seven institutions for takeover, not eight.
Responding to Dr. Yunus's allegations, Grameen Bank issued a statement asserting its authority to appoint chairmen and directors to organizations formed under its financing. The bank recently named new directors for Grameen Telecom and Grameen Kalyan, with Prof. Dr. AKM Saiful Majid taking over as chairman, replacing Dr. Yunus.
Majid also highlighted financial discrepancies in Grameen Telecom and Grameen Kalyan, revealing missing data and erased information related to these institutions' financial records from the '90s.
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