Prof. Yunus' comments must have touched a real raw nerve among political leaders. They are now trying desperately to deflect public attention from his statements lest it gives rise to a tidal wave of public discontent and stirs up the forces behind the current emergency into action.

They are raising three 'red herrings' in their desperation to deflect attention:

(1) Claiming that not all politicians are corrupt, so Prof. Yunus cannot condemn them wholesale.

But, they know and the public understands very well what Prof. Yunus meant. He did not mean all politicians; he meant the godfathers and top leaders of the major political parties.

(2) Claiming that many politicians have sacrificed their lives for the independence of Bangladesh.

Prof. Yunus is not talking about history. He is talking about politics today and everyone knows this very well. Mr. Ershad, first at the top levels of government, first instituted corruption in Bangladesh. The Awami League, true to its socialist roots, then brought it down to the grassroots level, and then the BNP maximised it to their own benefit.

(3) Casting doubt on Prof. Yunus himself.

The Nobel Peace Prize is an iron-clad armour that will deflect personal criticisms of Prof. Yunus by such unsaintly interests. He has already proved his sincerity and incorruptibility through a life of service for the Grameen poor. In this context, it is absolutely reprehensible of Mr. Abdul Jalil to try to discredit him by calling into question some aspects of the Grameen Bank approach, the very approach that has earned Prof. Yunus the Nobel Peace Prize --- the first time in history that a peace prize has been given to a person for service to the poor. Prof. Yunus deserves an immediate, unqualified and absolute apology from Mr. Jalil.

The civil society of Bangladesh and the greater public must dare each and every politician who claims to be incorrupt to forget the words and truly reveal their honesty and sincerity.

We must dare each and every one of them individually to declare their assets and income.

And, we must dare them collectively to pass a law that any politician and government official must declare his assets and income in totality before he can stand for public office.

It is only such actions, not words that can disprove Prof. Yunus.

Dr. Zahid Khan

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia