Save Dr. Yunus! Save Grameen Bank! Save Bangladesh!

We write to express strong concern over the recent actions of the Government of Bangladesh to dismiss Professor Muhammad Yunus, the champion of the poor, as Managing Director of Grameen Bank.

The Prime Minister orchestrated and conspired to remove Dr.Yunus from his position as Managing Director of Grameen Bank on the basis of his age. We are deeply troubled by the series of conspiratorial claims that the Bangladeshi government has raised over the past few months to discredit Dr. Yunus and soil his work at Grameen Bank.

Due to the viral spreading of these claims, over $500 million dollars have been withdrawn within two days from Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Now, the Grameen Bank system for the poor is on the verge of collapsing. The livelihood of more than 8 million poor women and of the families of these women who receive services from Grameen Bank is in jeopardy.

Thousands of people have demonstrated around the globe against the injustices. Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank are facing. Last week, in Bangladesh, a peaceful human chain demonstration was disrupted by the muscle men of the current governing political party (AL). Harming innocent people who are peacefully protesting is a human rights violation.