One mega seaport can change the whole economic situation, bringing immense economic benefits, he said yesterday during a reception accorded to him by the Chittagong Samity, Dhaka.

Yunus pointed out that the neighbouring countries would come to Bangladesh to establish their export-import businesses if a mega seaport was built here. He also suggested negotiating with neighbouring countries like India, China, Nepal and Bhutan for using the mega seaport as only Bangladesh bound cargo would not make such a port viable.

"Time is running out and we should not make any delay in this regard," he said.

Prof Yunus observed that the debate regarding the site of the mega seaport should end immediately as it should be set up at the most suitable place on technical grounds. He also underscored the need for developing better roads to facilitate the mega seaport.

The Chittagong Samity, Dhaka accorded the red carpet reception to the first Nobel laureate of the country at Osmani Auditorium. Yunus received a standing ovation.

President of Chittagong Samity Abu Alam Chowdhury presided over the reception. Former deputy prime minister Jamal Uddin Ahmed, Acting Chief Justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim, poet Mahbub-ul Alam, engineer Afsar uddin Ahmed, Jahangir Alam and SM Yusuf also spoke on the occasion.

Former advisers to a caretaker government Ruhul Alam Chowdhury, Azizul Haque, Home Secretary Abdul Karim, former state minister Quamrunnahar Zafar and many other high officials and dignitaries particularly hailing from Chittagong region were present at the reception.

Prof Yunus said microcredit spread through out the world and Bangladeshi experts are teaching foreigners on this particular subject. He gave the credit for the success of microcredit to the first borrowers who paid the money back within the schedule time and heralded a new horizon in the banking sector.

If those poor borrowers had not paid back the loan, probably this historic thing would not have happened, he observed.

Yunus also observed that importing hydropower from Nepal and Bhutan could solve the current power crisis in the country.

He shared his childhood memories with the people from Chittagong at the reception.

Speakers at the reception observed that Prof Yunus would remain in the hearts of the people due to his tremendous contribution towards poverty alleviation.

They said for his contributions to poverty alleviation Yunus now stands with great men of the world. They hoped that microcredit would ultimately remove poverty from the whole world.