Guest dada_rocks Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 This is basically a short story book in single column.. http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/mjakbar's-corner/bylines/a-dhaka-diary.aspx Allah, worried about the fate of the faithful, called a conference of leaders of Muslim nations. The President of Iraq had only one question to ask: "When will I see peace and prosperity in my country?" Allah looked at him compassionately and said that would happen in about a hundred years. The Iraqi President began to weep, saying, "Alas, it will not happen while I am alive!" The President of Pakistan had the same question, but the answer was different. Pakistan, said Allah, would become peaceful and prosperous in about a hundred and fifty years. The President began to wail, "I will not be alive to see my country prosper". The President of Bangladesh was next. Troubled, despondent, beset by bandhs and the impossible deadlock to which no one had either a key or a clue, he asked when Bangladesh would become the dreamland of its founding fathers. This time, Allah began to cry.:haha::haha: How utterly enthralling to meet an unrepentant Stalinist. Badruddin Umar was an academic, and is now a political activist and author of the Communist persuasion. His father, a colleague of Husain Shaheed Suhrawardy, was a prominent leader of the Muslim League and later the Awami League. He has written learned books on the historic language movement of Bengal for the Oxford University Press, which is the reason for my visit and the proposed subject of our conversation. Beside a portrait of his father in the drawing room is a line drawing of Stalin. I point out that Stalin is not quite a politically correct figure these days. "I admire him," he responds without ambiguity. "They say he killed a few million people. If I had been in his place I might have had to kill a few more," he adds with a chuckle. Nothing personal; just historical necessity. There has apparently been some interference in the historical inevitability of a revolution in Bangladesh, and one man credited with the interference is the Nobel Prize winner Dr Mohammad Yunus, managing director of Grameen Bank whose micro-credit schemes have brought him world fame. Badruddin Umar would prefer to describe it as infamy. He thinks micro-credit is worse than the usury of the old mahajans, a fraud on the poor heavily disguised with capitalist hype. He quotes Yunus as admitting he charges 20% interest. In September 1991, Yunus apparently said, "Of course we charge 20% interest. If anyone considers it high, well it is high. I don’t feel much embarrassed by that. After all, we don’t force anyone to borrow from us". As Umar archly added, the old village usurers did not force anyone to borrow from them either. Grameen Bank also collects over 80 million taka as a fee from its members. "What is the ultimate destination of this money and the interest derived on it?" Good question PS: M J Akbar is about to be a Rajya Sabha candidate from Bihar for NDA. HE is a prized catch no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Yep MJ Akbar is quite decent. Always fun to read his Bylines in Asian Age. Has written some good books too, including one on your favorite Chacha Nehru DR :aetsch: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dada_rocks Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 And I deliberately gave tha a miss one can take only that much of chacha nehru eulogy 3 saal ki umra se gaa raha hun I guess I am satiated:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dada_rocks Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 BTW did u notice how the modern version of that proverbial blood-sucking soodkhor baniya has been recognised internationally through Nobel prize.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 BTW did u notice how the modern version of that proverbial blood-sucking soodkhor baniya has been recognised internationally through Nobel prize.... You mean Mohammed Younus? To be honest I cant say much about him, or Grameen Bank. What I do know is that they give loans to the poorest of the poor. Apparently before they give loan they will come visit your house. If they see you have a chair or a bed they wont give you loan, meaning they give money only to people who cant afford it. Now you can imagine who will give money to these poorest of souls issiliye his efforts are commendable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dada_rocks Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Are u kidding me all sudkhors target these characters... for some weird reason those who have nothing have very high self-esteem (izzat ke alawa kya hai hamare paas wala concept) they will pay u back "pai pai chuka denge" Punjaab mein jake kaam karke delhi mein jake rickshaw chala ke.. .....these guys feel so indebted that somebody gave them loan when they needed it and will pay u back with crazy interest like 2-5 Rs for every 100 every month.. i.e 24-60% interest rate.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Are u kidding me all sudkhors target these characters... for some weird reason those who have nothing have very high self-esteem (izzat ke alawa kya hai hamare paas wala concept) they will pay u back "pai pai chuka denge" Punjaab mein jake kaam karke delhi mein jake rickshaw chala ke... Kidhar baba? Tum aise hi excited ho jaate ho! yes sudkhor target these, like gaaon ka zamindaar etc. But which bank in India gives loan to such poor people? The key word here is "bank". It is organized and people have faith in it. School ke din mein my parents tried to get loan for the three of us kids - one studying medicine, another Engineering and third one in Ace Research Institure. Kuch nahin mila. There was no provision at all! Of course private jagah se mil hi jaata. That is what I am trying to say. Samjhe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dada_rocks Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Kidhar baba? Tum aise hi excited ho jaate ho! yes sudkhor target these, like gaaon ka zamindaar etc. But which bank in India gives loan to such poor people? The key word here is "bank". It is organized and people have faith in it. School ke din mein my parents tried to get loan for the three of us kids - one studying medicine, another Engineering and third one in Ace Research Institure. Kuch nahin mila. There was no provision at all! Of course private jagah se mil hi jaata. That is what I am trying to say. Samjhe? Mere kahne ka matlab hai agar organized wala bhi wahin rate le raha hai phir difference kya hai baba.... Organized sudkhori I guess apne ko bank bole ya kuchh aur ki farak painda hai..... What do u mean by people have faith: faith zamindaar bhi deta hai they give u money charge interest from u..Whenever u need u get it not even paper work is needed just simple angootha ka nishan swift processing.. Pahar bech dete apna.. PF se loan mil jata hai govt servant ko easily waise that's how I studied.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Mere kahne ka matlab hai agar organized wala bhi wahin rate le raha hai phir difference kya hai baba.... Organized sudkhori I guess apne ko bank bole ya kuchh aur ki farak painda hai..... Accha then tell me what is the rate typically Indian banks charge? It is not unknown for established banks to charge between 10-15% of their best clients(not too different from 20%). ICICI, based in Mumbai, has raised the rate it charges its best clients, known as the prime rate, by 4.5 percentage points since February 2006 to 15.75 percent. State Bank, a 200-year-old company based in Mumbai, said Saturday it will charge its best borrowers 12.75 percent. http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/09/business/sxrupee.php These are big banks and the clients are their best borrowers! So imagine the rates when the client is a poor person with lot more risks. Waise like I said I dont have much idea of how this whole Grameen Bank works so cant really say much about it. xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dada_rocks Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 24% sudkhor rate or 20% grammen bank rate mein bhi koi khas fark nahin hai.. anyway we are comparing it with indian scene who knows in bangaldesh sudkhortoo might be charging the same amount hence the claim of Grameen bank chief yes our rate is high but we don't force anyone to take loan.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 24% sudkhor rate or 20% grammen bank rate mein bhi koi khas fark nahin hai.. anyway we are comparing it with indian scene who knows in bangaldesh sudkhortoo might be charging the same amount hence the claim of Grameen bank chief yes our rate is high but we don't force anyone to take loan.. Why are we comparing even? Aaj subah utha tha to socha tha ke Mohammed Younus ko lekar debate karenge? :confused_smile::confused_smile: Tum bhi aise hi chaloo ho jaate ho guru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dada_rocks Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I am just going by what Mohd Younus himself says it's high but we don't force exactly this is the sentiment among soodkhors.. Responsibel prganization worthy to be called bank either justify the rate or bring it down to level which makes economic sense If I had no conscience problem then I cud just sit tight in Bihar and earn more than I cud do in Canada through soodkhori:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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