Editorial
Welcome Prof Yunus
The nation deeply honoured
Prof Muhammad Yunus returned home on Tuesday with the world's most prestigious award, the Nobel Peace Prize. On his arrival while replying to the questions of the waiting journalists he told them that there is no alternative to holding peaceful election in the country which must be participated by all parties to be credible and generally acceptable. He warned that political unrest in the country would adversely affect the economy of the country. Prof Yunus has had the rare distinction and honour of being the first ever Nobel prize winner to receive the prize in presence of the Norwegian Royalty. President Jacques Chirac of France also hosted a reception in his honour while Tony Blair of Britain and his wife received Yunus and his delegation with great warmth. The reception that Dr Yunus received in a foreign land was unique in more ways than one. It was also significant for the fact that for the first time the culture of Bangladesh was presented in the presence of an audience that is globally respected and recognised. To add to it Yunus spoke in Bangla to intersperse with his main speech delivered in English. At the backdrop of all this we are somewhat saddened by the fact that Dr Yunus' triumphant return could have been better celebrated and shared by the nation and the people at large had there not been the tumultuous politics that we have been witnessing in our midst. This has been a distraction. That the welcome ceremony was organised by Grameen Bank and not on a bigger scale, in a way bore testimony to this fact. We must learn to pay our respects and express our gratitude to our national hero. We owe it to ourselves.
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