Prof Yunus turns 85

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s only Nobel Laureate and global pioneer of microfinance, turned 85 on Saturday.

Born on June 28, 1940, at Bathua village under Hathazari upazila of Chattogram, Prof Yunus’s birthday has, for the past 15 years, been globally observed as Social Business Day.

However, according to his Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, there were no official celebrations this year to mark the occasion; neither at the government level nor at the two-day Social Business Day event held at Zirabo Social Convention Centre in Savar, where Prof Yunus was present as chief guest on Friday.

A celebrated economist and founder of Grameen Bank, Prof Yunus gained international acclaim for his revolutionary concept of collateral-free microfinance aimed at alleviating poverty.

In 2006, he and Grameen Bank were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, earning him global recognition as a champion of social business and financial inclusion.

Despite his legacy, Prof Yunus faced political opposition under Awami League government, particularly after Sheikh Hasina returned to power in 2009. He was removed from Grameen Bank and later subjected to lawsuits and public criticism.

However, in a dramatic political shift, following the August 5, 2024 mass uprising led by students and citizens, Sheikh Hasina fled the country.

In response, an interim government was formed on August 8, with Prof Yunus appointed as Chief Adviser at the request of the movement’s leaders.

Now at the helm of this transitional administration, Prof Yunus is overseeing efforts to restore law and order, rebuild the economy and implement structural reforms across the constitution, election system, judiciary, police and public administration.

Prof Yunus’s academic journey reflects his lifelong pursuit of knowledge and reform. A top-ranking student, he earned his matriculation certificate from Chattogram Collegiate School, followed by higher secondary studies at Chittagong College. He completed his economics degree at Dhaka University and began teaching at Chittagong College in 1961.

In 1965, Prof Yunus was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, leading him to pursue higher studies in the United States. He earned a PhD in economics from Vanderbilt University in 1971 and later taught at Middle Tennessee State University. During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, he was actively involved in a citizen support committee in the US.

Prof Yunus is married to Professor Dr. Afrozi Yunus and is the father of two daughters. His parents were Dula Miah Sawdagar and Sufia Khatun.

As Bangladesh undergoes a historic transition, Prof Yunus’s leadership continues to shape both national recovery and the global discourse on social entrepreneurship.