Muhith, Younus and Sen respectively.
No less a person than our finance minister has accused Prof Yunus, our only Nobel Laureate and the most well known and well regarded Bangladeshi in the world today, of carrying out, “with his wonderful publicity machinery”, anti-Bangladesh propaganda worldwide. “He is the single major reason for Bangladesh's failure to project its positive image”, Muhith said and quoted Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen in this regard. Amartya Sen, in a written reply, to The Daily Star refuted Muhith's claim and asked him to withdraw his comment attributed to him.
Yunus, according to our finance minister, is also preventing direct foreign investment for want of which we are “starving”, he said. He also accused Yunus of dishonesty saying, “everything he says does not reflect the whole truth”.
(Finance Minister AMA Muhith claimed (8 November) that Nobel laureate Amartya Sen sees Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus as the single major reason behind Bangladesh's failure to project its positive image on the world stage.
“Prof Sen told me that so many good things are happening in this country but they are not highlighted anywhere in the world only because of Prof Yunus,” Muhith said referring to a meeting with the highly-acclaimed Indian economist.
When reporters asked Muhith how an individual like Yunus could cause such damage to a nation, the minister replied: "He has wonderful publicity machinery.)

The Daily Star editor Mr Mahfuz Anam in a commentary on 10 November demanded prove from the finance minister to his supporting.
Mr Mahfuz Anam wrote, for any Bangladeshi to carry out anti-national propaganda is a supreme moral crime. And for a man of Prof Yunus' stature it is more so. This statement of AMA Muhith comes as a great shock to millions of Bangladeshis, especially the young who feel proud of Prof Yunus and consider him to be a role model.

Those of us who support his cause, like this writer; those who think that he has brought tremendous honour and prestige for the country by his activities; those who think that his pioneering idea of micro credit-- that has been emulated in more than a hundred countries spanning all the continents, all economies (capitalist and socialist), all political systems (democratic, communist, monarchy, one-party, multi-party) and among both rich and poor nations; those who think that with all its weaknesses micro credit has so far been the most effective and self-sustainable system of fighting poverty; those who think that Yunus is an excellent institution builder who set up the first ever bank solely for the poor women serving 8 million borrowers and built nearly fifty other separate companies aimed at solving specific problems faced by the poor --- like housing, energy, health, education --- and those who consider him to be one of the greatest and most successful image builders of Bangladesh MUST know the TRUTH about this man.
It is the DUTY of the finance minister to tell the people how Yunus is damaging the image and harming the interest of the very country he spent his whole life working to improve.

So the least Mr. Muhith can do is to PROVE what he said. We would like to know when, where and how Prof Yunus hurt Bangladesh's interest. We would like to know which foreign investments were deterred by Yunus and when. As the finance minister he has all the resources and the staff to gather facts. So he must give the nation FACTS, not claims, surmises and innuendos and implied meanings. We want the plain truth so that we stop admiring Yunus as we do.
Minister Muhith also said that because of Yunus Bangladesh's good work is not being publicised and appreciated. When journalists asked why, Muhith said because of his “wonderful publicity machinery”.
Are we to understand that all these leaders -- from the USA, France, Germany, China, Saudi Arabia, India, Indonesia, Japan -- to name just a few, known the world over for their leadership and wisdom and who respect Yunus and grant him audience whenever occasions call for, are basically fools who have been duped by Yunus' “publicity machinery”?
Are we to understand that hardnosed investors who search the world for a place to invest and brave the harshest of circumstances to make a profit forego Bangladesh as a profit making destination because Yunus said so?

Who are we fooling?
On the contrary, can the fact be refuted that possible FDI from French and German companies like Adidas for cheap but durable shoes for villagers, malaria preventing mosquito repellent nets by BASF, vital nutrition providing yoghurt by Danone and cheap pure rural water supply by Viola were either not allowed in or made to suffer various obstacles just because they were linked with Yunus' projects dealing with the poor?
And what about KEPZ? The deal was signed 17 years ago. And yet, land ownership documents have not been completed. Samsung wanted to locate one of their smartphone factories there employing about 50,000 people, it is learnt. But they decided against it because of the ambiguity of the situation. If the government feels that the original contract does not serve Bangladesh's interest well, then it should renegotiate and implement the project so that foreign companies can seriously think of investing there. Keeping it uncertain is a sheer way of driving away FDI.

As for Yunus' good press, are we to understand that the world famous media institutions, who are otherwise quite capable of being discerning, objective and brutally honest, suddenly lose all their critical faculties when they are faced with that disarming Yunus smile?
If we think foreign leaders, investors and global media are so naive as to be guided by one man's briefing, then we are obviously not expecting to be taken seriously by any one of the above groups.
It is with a heavy heart that we write this piece, for we respect the finance minister. His integrity is beyond question, his patriotism is well known, his capacity for hard work can put to shame most of his younger colleagues, his honesty of purpose is exemplary. Yet, shunning decency he has chosen to question the honesty, integrity and patriotism of a man like Prof Yunus who is a source of pride for the nation. That is why we reiterate our demand that the finance minister must PROVE what he has said for the good of the nation. In this regard, we are ready to publish his interview or a written text by him providing the necessary proof that decency demands.

Amartya refutes Muhith :
Nobel laureate Prof Amartya Sen has expressed surprise at Finance Minister AMA Muhith's comments that he made on Thursday attributing to him about Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus.
In a written reply to a query from The Daily Star, Sen hoped that Muhith would withdraw his wrong attribution to him about Yunus.
Quoting Sen Muhith on Thursday told reporter in Dhaka, "Professor Sen told me that so many good things are happening in this country but they are not highlighted anywhere in the world only because of Professor Yunus."

But Sen said: “I am particularly surprised -- indeed astonished -- to see his attributing to me a view that is not mine. Indeed, the alleged utterance is not close to anything I told Muhith when we met briefly at the VIP lounge in the Bangkok Airport last month.”
The India-born Bangalee economist added that he was not at all accusing Yunus of preventing the recognition and praise that Bangladesh deserves.
“Rather, I was pointing to the fact that the treatment of Yunus -- and its interpretation in the outside world -- have been strongly inhibiting factors working against the justified acclaim that Bangladesh's stellar achievements could otherwise be expected to get in the world,” Sen said in his emailed statement.
One report two news :
The probe body submitted its report on Ramu incident to the High Court through the attorney general's office on November 6. On November 7 about the probe report The Daily Star’s headline was ‘Ramu attack was well-planned, Says govt probe report submitted to HC; 205 people involved’
The New Age’s headline was ‘Probe fails to identify plotters’
Lets first see The Daily Star report : The mayhem in Ramu on September 29 night was a well-planned attack on the Buddhist community designed at least ten days ahead, claimed a government probe report.
The plan was executed in four phases, it said.
The probe body, however, could not find out how the plan was made and by whom, where, and when as it was pressed for time and had procedural limitations.
It suggested that a comprehensive and intensive investigation be undertaken to unearth the mystery.
The home ministry formed the four-member committee led by the Additional Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong, Mohammad Nurul Islam, on September 30.
The probe body submitted its report to the High Court through the attorney general's office (6 November) as per the court's earlier order.

The Daily Star obtained a copy of the 96-page report, which was finalised on October 17.
Supreme Court lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua filed a writ petition on October 2, challenging the “inaction” of the police in protecting the Buddhist temples and houses of locals in Ramu, Cox's Bazar.

The HC on October 15 directed the government to submit a report to it by November 6 on the security measures it had taken before and after the attack on the Buddhist community there.
The bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo fixed November 13 for passing an order on the issue.
The report came up with 22 recommendations and an observation that it was regrettable that there had been no intelligence information about such a well-planned attack.

A mob destroyed 12 pagodas and more than 50 houses in Ramu on the night of September 29. The violence was apparently triggered by the image of a Buddhist youth's facebook page that had been photo-shopped, revealed The Daily Star investigation. The page had an image derogatory to Islam pasted on it.
In its report, the probe committee said the first out of the four phases of the plan execution was to create a religious sentiment while the second was for assembling people quickly.
In the third phase, the assembled crowd was made rowdy with provocation and in the fourth the attack, looting and arson were carried out, said the report.
However, the probe committee said the derogatory photo of the holy Quran was tagged in Uttam Kumar Barua's facebook account on September 18 and 26 more facebook friends of Uttam “liked” the photo.
"It means the violence in Ramu took place ten days after the tagging of the photo and the masterminds chalked out their design by this time," the report said.
The probe body mentioned several motives behind the attack. The motives include achieving political gains by putting the government in an embarrassing situation, attempting to prove the government failed through deteriorating law and order, creating a sense of insecurity among the religious minority by damaging communal harmony and weakening the government's stance to prevent Rohingya intrusion.
The other motives include destroying the good relationship between Bangladesh and its neighbouring countries and development partners.

It, however, stressed the need for a combined intelligence agency effort and in-depth and comprehensive investigation to find out the main motive behind the incident.
The probe report gave a detailed description of the incident and mentioned that 205 people, including Uttam Kumar Barua, and Abdul Moktadir alias Alif, a student of a private polytechnic institute in Chittagong, were involved.
Local made arms--axes, iron rods, large knives--and diesel, petrol, gun powder, kerosene, bitumen, old tyres of cars, tree branches and bamboo sticks were used during the attack, said the report.
It also said a number of rioters were madrasa students and their teachers, wearing round-neck T-shirts and white caps on their heads.
The report recommended identifying the people involved --- the planners, conspirators and instigators.
It said the officer-in-charge (on duty) at Ramu Police Station could not realise the gravity of the incident and that the situation could have been tackled had proper security measures been taken at the beginning of the incident.The probe body recommended security measures at Buddhist-dominated areas. It also argued for controlling measures so that humiliating and immoral contents, photos, and information that hurt religious sentiments could not be easily accessed on social communication sites like Facebook,Twitter and Youtube.

Now let’s see the New Age report : The government investigation of the sectarian attack on the Buddhists at Ramu on September 29 failed to identify who planned the attack and when, where and how it was planned because of ‘time constraints’ and ‘procedural limitations.’

It also called for a coordinated intelligence initiative along with intensive and widespread investigation to establish the factors of the attack.

The government on Tuesday submitted the report, earlier submitted to the home ministry on October 17, to the High Court bench of justice Mirza Hussain Haider and justice Kazi M Ejarul Haque Akonodo in compliance with an order it passed on October 3 in response to a writ petition filed by Jyotirmay Barua, a Supreme Court lawyer from Ramu.

New Age has obtained a copy of the investigation report.
On receiving the report, the court posted further hearing on the petition for November 13 as the petitioner’s counsel BM Elias Kachee sought a week’s adjournment of proceedings because he was yet to study the report.

The counsel said that the petitioner would inform the court if he found anything objectionable in the report the next date.

The report found law enforcement agencies negligent in duties but recommended defining responsibilities of local government representatives and making them accountable in keeping order. It also pointed an utter failure of intelligence agencies in sounding possibilities of such incidents.
The ruling Awami League and opposition BNP traded blame over the attack but the report did not accuse the upazila council chairman Sohel Sarwar Kajal, a leader of the Awami League, and BNP lawmaker Lutfar Rahman Kajal. It found that Sohel Sarwar Kajal was trying to stop the mob but failed and called the role Lutfar Rahman Kajal questionable.

It especially questioned Lutfar Rahman Kajal’s sudden departure from the scene on the night and subsequent intensification of violence.

The investigators were certain that the attack was well-planned and well-executed. It observed that Uttam Kumar Barua had been tagged in the Facebook photograph, said to have fomented the attack, on September 18; and 26 of his Facebook friends had ‘liked’ it and the attack was carried out after 10 days.

Quoting an intelligence agency, the report said that scanning mobile call lists of Salamatullah, general secretary of the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation, and other leaders, the investigators found that they were in Cox’s Bazar in September 20–24 and went there again in September 29–30. The report said that specific address of the Rohingya leaders could not be traced as they stay ‘floating.’

The report also quoted freedom fighter Abu Taleb, then being treated in Fuad Al Khatib Hospital run by Islamist groups in the Cox’s Bazar town, to be feeling something queer going on at the hospital on September 29 and about 7:00pm he had come to know that the Baruas at Ramu had stamped the Qur’an with the foot and there could be something bad.   

It also said that Abdul Huq, a teacher of Joarianala Emdadul Ulum Madrassah, had held several meetings to imbue people with the spirit of jihad.
‘So far it could be confirmed that his instruction to the attackers was, “Burn the temples down but do not loot or kill people”,’ the report said.

It also said that two of the attackers had told a similar thing to Shamim Ahsan Bulu, a local leader of National Awami Party. 

The 75-page report named 205 people, including activists of both the ruling Awami League and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, activists of Islamist parties, teachers of different madrassahs, local government representatives and a few local journalists, being involved in the attack.

The report said that most of officials of the administration and the law enforcement had come to know of the violence breaking out at Ramu much after it had begun and the deployment of the police, border guards and army personnel was also delayed, resulting in the total demolition of the temples and monasteries.

The report mentioned the Cox’s Bazar deputy commissioner, Zainul Bari, saying that he had asked Border Guard Bangladesh personnel to roll out about 11:45pm but they inquired about clearance from the home ministry.

The deputy commissioner immediately called additional secretary (political) who gave him the clearance but the forces did not roll saying they had not received the clearance. BGB personnel reached the scene after two more hours.

The minister for home, Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, after visiting Ramu on September 30, told reporters at Tejgaon airport that they had come to know of the violence about 2:00am on September 30 and then took appropriate measures.

The Ramu police officer-in-charge, Nazibul Islam, told the investigators that he had come to know of the violence about 9:45pm although people had been mobilised since 7:00pm and he informed higher authorities of the matter by 10:15pm.

The investigators said that it seemed to them that the officer-in-charge and his small force were nervous to go into action as there was the crowd was huge.
The report said that troops staying at the Ramu garrison on their own contacted the upazila nirbahi officer, Devi Chanda, and the deputy commissioner through Devi requested to troops about 1:00am to go into action.

Despite the deployment of all forces, mobs attacked the Bibekaram monastery at Fatekharkul about 4:00am in the presence of troops and BGB personnel, the report said.