Political Quotes

On the recordJune 27, 2013
I rise today to once again voice publicly my concern with actions the Government of Bangladesh has taken and is poised to take with respect to Grameen Bank and the Grameen family of companies. Grameen Bank has for decades been the pride of Bangladesh and the envy of the world. The brainchild of Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Bank pioneered a concept of lending that helped the very poor help themselves. Uniquely, the Bank was owned and governed by those very borrowers, giving them both an opportunity to succeed individually and a stake in the success of others. For this, both the Bank and Professor Yunus have been recognized across the globe with awards and honors. Both were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. The United States has recognized Professor Yunus with its two highest civilian honors--the Presidential Medal of Freedom and, most recently just this April, with the Congressional Gold Medal. Sadly, since 2010, instead of showcasing Grameen's efforts to lift countless Bangladeshis out of poverty, the Government of Bangladesh has instead engaged in what seems to amount to nothing more than carrying out a political vendetta against Grameen and Professor Yunus. This has resulted in Professor Yunus' forced removal from his position as Managing Director and changes to the governance of the Bank.…
Said by
Dick Durbin
Democratic · Illinois
Source
govinfo.gov
Jun 27, 2013

Share

More from Dick Durbin

Aug 24, 2026

The lawmakers also emphasized that the Trump Administration’s definition of medical frailty far exceeds what is outlined in the law itself and creates additional onerous barriers for both patients and states.

duckworth.senate.gov
Aug 14, 2026

It was a grave mistake for the Senate to approve Todd Blanche as the next Attorney General.

durbin.senate.gov
Aug 27, 2026

What I witnessed today illustrated President Trump and Stephen Miller’s ruthless agenda: they will go so far with their cruel immigration operation to target terrified children, forcing them to articulate their fears in front of a judge…

durbin.senate.gov
Aug 26, 2026

Together, you’ve created a space where residents can access pediatric care, behavioral health services, housing and employment support, and much more.

durbin.senate.gov

Other voices in this conversation