Dr. Yunus vs. Ratan Tata

Two news from two countries. Apparently, there is no similarity between the two news. These two news items are absolutely worthless in the crowd of very important news like politics-election, fraud in the name of e-commerce, or price rise. But if you go a little deeper, you can see that there are strange links between the two events. Both incidents are very important. Last Monday (October 12) in a case of labor law Dr. Muhammad Yunus went to court and took bail. The second incident took place on October 8. On that day, the state-owned carriers Air India and Air India Express were handed over to the Tata Group for Rs 18,000 crore in India. In addition, Tata bought 50 percent ownership of Air India Sats. If we want to find the connection between these two events, we have to go back a little. Dr. Muhammad Yunus is a talented man. A teacher and a researcher. He conducted micro-credit activities in Jobra village of Chittagong for a study. Dr. Yunus's microfinance activities were basically following the model of Akhtar Hamid Khan, the founder of Comilla Bard. Dr. Yunus established Grameen Bank on 1 October 1983 to expand the activities, with the cooperation of the Ershad government and under state ownership. Gradually, Grameen Bank expanded into foreign grants. From teachers and researchers, Dr. Yunus became a full-fledged businessman. From Grameen Matsya Foundation to Grameen Telecom Dr. Yunus extended his hand in all cases. Dr. Yunus' business was different. These organizations are said to be non-profit organizations and that’s why they remain income tax-free. Beyond the borders of the country, he became known in the international arena. In 2006 Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize. After receiving this Nobel, Grameen Bank went into hiding. All the credits said were taken over by Yunus. With lots of grants, assistance. Yunus started a new social business project. In the meanwhile, the age limit of his service as the managing director of the government institution Grameen Bank has passed. The Nobel laureate is also involved in a legal battle with the government for this. After leaving Grameen Bank, one by one his various businesses started getting sick. Many are closed. However, Dr. Muhammad Yunus doesn't care. He's busy with him. Dr. Yunus is still tireless in the intoxication of awards, grants, and fame. This year he won the Olympic Laurel at the Tokyo Olympics for his outstanding contribution to the field of sports. Dr. Muhammad Yunus is a civil, businessman and politician at the same time. But every work has a limit. There are definite boundaries. Dr. Yunus uses that identity when needed. He is an eloquent speaker in the international arena. Motivator. The secret desire to seize state power was also awakened in him. As a businessman, there is also an attempt to become rich with other people's money. Also, he finds all the loopholes not to pay the taxes to the state. An entrepreneur has to move forward by a lot of struggle. But it’s not the case with Dr. Yunus. He exactly knows how to use the opportunity. He created Grameen bank with the Governments' money. Created Grameen telecom with Grameen bank’s money and later took ownership of Grameenphone. There are allegations of fraud, cheating, and torture in all the organizations of Dr. Yunus. Not a single organization could stand as a corporate organization. Let's talk about Grameen Telecom. Dr. Yunus promised to make hundreds of employees’ permanents. But didn't. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist promised to give workers 5 percent of the profits. That promise was also unfulfilled. Workers' welfare fund was not created. Dr. Yunus has conducted seminars and lectures at home and abroad with the profit of the organization. Received various medals including Nobel Prize. No one asked him, what did he do for his country? From Grameen Bank to Grameen Telecom, despite the incidents of labor harassment and income tax evasion, there is no talk of him in the media. Because he is civil. He is a saint. Dr. Yunus claimed that the women borrowers of Grameen Bank are the owners of the institution. The main condition of ownership is transferred. Can female borrowers of Grameen Bank transfer ownership? Dr. Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 and announced that he would remove poverty from the country. The poor now grin and grin. But there is no one to question Dr. Yunus' words. After winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 Dr. Yunus announced a political party. Then he retreated. Many questions about his role in One-Eleven. The biggest question is, what has he done for this country? Floods, disasters, corona epidemics in the world, has this man done any good to the people of the country? Dr. Yunus is the reflection of a section of civil society in Bangladesh. Some civilians in our country want to do everything, but can do nothing but criticize others. They create institutions in the state and foreign sense, those institutions are not sustainable. They gossip all the time that everything in the country is bad, but they do nothing for the country, for the people. Their job is just to criticize others. Let's leave the Dr. Yunus chapter for now and focus on a Tata chapter.

Tata Airlines was launched in India in 1932. The founder of this airline is JRD Tata. A few years later, the name of Tata Airlines was changed to Air India. After India's independence, the Indian government bought a 49 percent stake in Air India in 1948. The international venture of the Tata-owned (51 percent) company began. Air India flies from Mumbai to London. But then disaster struck. In 1953, Jawaharlal Nehru decided to nationalize all the institutions. Air India also came under its purview. At that time, the Ministry of Communications of India was in charge of civil aviation. Communications Minister was Jagjivan Ram. Jagjivan Ram called JRD Tata and informed him of the government's decision to acquire Air India. J.R.D was Surprised, stunned. He expressed his anger fiercely. Strongly protesting the government's decision in the media. He said, "The decision to nationalize will not be good for the country”. JRD Tata hoped that Prime Minister Nehru would change his mind. But Nehru did not back down from the acquisition decision. However, to comfort Tata he was made the chairman of Air India. It was his self-made organization. Despite the anger and grief, JRD agreed to keep the last bond. But later a bigger insult awaited Tata. In 1986, Congress lost the election. Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister. This time it was informed in a letter that Tata will not be the chairman. A retired Air Force officer is appointed chairman.

In Tata's sense, JRD Tata's hard-earned 'Air India' became a mine of plunder for government workers. Gradually, Tata became a loss-making company. As India entered the free market economy, a number of private airlines were established. Air India was rapidly falling behind in the competition. In 2017, Air India's debt stood at Rs 52,000 crore. This is equivalent to 100 days budget of India. Before buying Tata, Air India had a total debt of Rs 62,000 crore till August this year. Every day this company incurs a loss of Rs 20 crore. In this situation, the Indian government could no longer bear the burden of Air India. Tata was the highest bidder in the sale tender. For Tatas, the issue is like getting back one's own property in the possession of others. India once forcibly occupied Tata's property. Now Tata has taken sweet revenge by getting it back for Rs 18,000 crore. Ratan Tata did not look at the account stats to get Air India back. The emotion behind it has worked the most. After winning the tender, Ratan Tata's tweet was surrounded by emotion. Ratan Tata wrote in a tweet - ‘Welcome back to Air India. This auction is a great victory. JRD Tata would have been happier if he had been with us today. Only time will tell whether Ratan Tata will be able to give a new lease of life to Air India. But you don't have to be an economist to realize how much the government and the people have borne the brunt of Tata's own burdens. What do you call it? Business or patriotism?

Now let's take a look at the two contexts.

Dr. Yunus established Grameen Bank with state money. He took over as the managing director of a state-owned company. Yunus has done a dozen more institutions with the profits of this organization. He got ownership of them without any money. On the other hand, the history of the Tata Group is at the complete opposite pole. Jamshed Tata used to work in his father's company. In 1868 he decided to do something by himself. In 1870 he set up a trading company with a capital of only 21,000 rupees. The journey started from there. Tata is now a multinational company operating globally. In 153 years, Tata's assets amounted to 106 billion US dollars. About 6 lakh people work in various Tata companies. Air India was built by Tata. The company was almost forcibly taken away by the government without any money. In other words, the Indian government took over an institution built on Tata money. Such as Dr. Yunus took over an organization built with people's money.

Dr. Yunus founded Grameen Telecom with Grameen Bank's profit money. When Iqbal Qadir established Grameenphon Dr. Yunus linked Grameen Telecom with Grameenphone. He later sold 55 percent of Grameenphone to Telenor in Norway. Dr. Yunus' Grameen Telecom Corporation still owns 34 percent of Grameenphone. Without investing a single penny Dr. Yunus owns one of the country's leading mobile networks of Bangladesh. How much money did Dr. Yunus make by selling shares of Grameen bank? Nobody has any record of that. On the other hand, Tata bought its own company (Air India) with 18 thousand crore rupees. One has become the owner of one company after another without investing any money. He has sold most of the shares of that company to foreign companies. On the other hand, Tata has been mourning the loss of Air India for 67 years and at the first opportunity, with a huge amount of money, the organization has brought it back to itself.

After losing his job at Grameen Bank. What Yunus did not do. He has protested against the government at home and abroad. The then complained to the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Hillary also called the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for this. Hillary was furious at Yunus' departure from the post of Grameen Bank MD. For this reason, he recommended to the World Bank not to invest in the Padma Bridge of Bangladesh's dream. See how a civilized person becomes prone to revenge after losing a position. On the other hand, the Indian government snatched an entire airline from Tata. Tata did nothing. Even then, Tata has invested heavily in India. Didn't complain to anyone. On the contrary, Tata has enhanced India's standing in the world as a multinational company.

The showcase of Dr. Yunus is full of prizes What does he do with his lectures, seminars, or money invested abroad? What did he do with the money from the sale of Grameen Bank shares? Has anyone ever heard that Dr. Yunus has given relief to poor people? Arranged for the education of distressed children? Has he done anything for the disabled? No. We do not find the Nobel peace laureate in any act of social responsibility. He has a center in his own name. The main work of the Yunus Center is raising Dr. Yunus and enhancing his image. Tata Sustainability Group, on the other hand, spends over Rs 1,000 crore a year on the welfare of the poor. Tata is a popular and acclaimed name in development for marginalized people including health and education. Tata's contribution to social service is well known.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dr. Yunus’s political ambitions are not hidden from anyone. After receiving the Nobel Prize in 2006, he took the initiative to form a political party. His initiative is inspired by the country's elite civil society group. But despite its huge contribution to the country's economy, Tata has no political ambitions. Despite being one of the oldest and largest industrial groups in India, Tata has not aspired to be a minister-MP or the intention to form a political party. I compared the Tata family led by Ratan Tata and Dr. Yunus, for some real reason. An attitude is often seen in Bangladesh; that the civilians are very honest. They are the only patriots. They can sacrifice their lives for the people. And the traders are dishonest, rogue, looting people's money. But we saw the situation just by looking at one of the activities of Dr. Yunus. Almost all the civil-controlled institutions in Bangladesh are unaccountable.

Its regulators have established a monarchy in the institution. No one can be removed from their position before death. I know, many will ask, is there an organization like Tata in Bangladesh? Are any of our industrial families like Tata? In the last 50 years of Bangladesh, several industrial groups have emerged. They are relentlessly contributing to the economic advancement of the country. There are limitations, but still, the private sector is one of the co-drivers of the country's economic progress. Tata was not built in one day. But the respect and dignity that is given to industrialists and businessmen in India or in other countries of the world, is it in Bangladesh? There is always a strong tendency to find the fault of the tenders. Once again, if he is civil, he should go beyond justice. The case of Dr. Yunus and Ratan Tata makes one point clear. There is a limit to the responsibilities of people of every class and profession in the state and society. This boundary should not be exceeded. In Bangladesh, we see that businessmen want to be ministers and MPs. Bureaucrats become politicians. Politicians want to leave politics and do business. And a section of civil society wants to take control of politics, business, and everything. But Yunus' business and political aspirations are proof that no work succeeds when it goes beyond borders. And Air India is the biggest example that the state cannot do business. So we stay within the limits of our responsibility. Doing what is not his job increases the danger.