US First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton flew to Jessore yesterday, to witness the Grameen Bank's activities and have a firsthand knowledge of Bangladesh's efforts for self-reliance and development.

"I am very happy to see for myself what I have been long hearing and reading about." she told a group of women, beneficiaries of the Grameen Bank programme that has won international acclaim for its unique banking system for the rural poor.

The wife of US President Bill Clinton and their daughter Chelsea spent more than an hour with the disadvantaged women of the quaint Rishipara village in Moishabati.

"I heard about the bank almost 10 years ago. Now I have come to see and learn how the bank has benefited yoy to help

you becoiue self-reliant in society." she said.

She was flown to 'Jessore and later taken to the village in a motorcade where hundreds of village men. women and children lined up to welcome the distinguished visitor.

Prof Mohammad Yunus, founder of the bank, greeted Mrs Clinton and introduced her to the members of the bank.

The local branch of the bank has nearly 2.500 clients who take loans for housing, farming, cattle-raising and setting up small and cottage industries.

The village men waved their hands to welcome the US First ;Lady while the children sang welcome songs and displayed physical feats.

The children of the village

also staged a cultural function portraying life in rural Bangladesh.

Slate. Minister for Women Affairs and minlster-in-waltlng Begum Sarwar! Rahman, deputy chief of the US embassy in Dhaka James Nach and a White House press corps accompanied Mrs Clintdn.

. Braving the searing heat of Chaltra. Hillary Clinton went round the neat little village, heard stories from the Grameen Bank members and exchanged views with the women.

She was told how the village women lived liefore the bank started operating there and how their lives had changed since they started their self-reliance programmes.

Some of the women narrated stories about their Improved lifestyle, their means of livelihood, their increased purchasing power and better position in the family.

The Grameen Bank members informed the US First Lady that not too long ago. many newly-wed women were deserted by their husbands because their families could not pay the dowry: but that has now changed.

Husbands and wives are now living happy lives and women are now more re-spected and their opinions valued in the family, the villagers told Mrs Clinton.

Replying to a query. Mrs Clinton said she and her husband Bill were impressed by the success story of the Grameen Bank projects and had also introduced replicated models in their home state of Arkansas.

The US First Lady went round a number of stalls set up by Grameen Bank members who displayed the products of different projects, which included handicraft, pottery, jamdani saree. naksht kan t ha and hand-woven textiles.

She also visited Uttar Chu-ramankathi village to see one of the country’s 29.000 non-formal primary education projects run by the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC).

BRAC Executive Director Fazle Hasan Abed received Mrs Clinton at the school premises.

Abed explained to her how BRAG had introduced the private non-formal education programme in 1985 with only 22 schools.

Mamata Rani Biswas, a

teacher of the school. described to the US First Lady Uh- functioning of the school.

Mrs Clinton praised the Idea of the BRAC-run school, saying "this Is a remarkable achievement, and I am happy to see the performance of the children.”

She also visited the Panch baria Balladanga school to see the government's Food-for-Education programme aimed al Increasing enrolment of children and reducing dropouts in rural areas.

Later, she walked through the village road to visit a satellite clinic run by the Concerned Women For Family Planning in the village.

The social workers at the clinic showed her how they encouraged people as regards family planning and child care.

Before her departure for Dhaka. Hillary Clinton posed for pictures with Bangladeshi and US soldiers taking part in a Joint disaster preparedness exercise at the local BAF base.