HE Dr Muhammad Al Jasser, Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank Group, has met Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus at the Yunus Centre in Dhaka to exchange views on how development financing can create greater social and economic impact.
The discussions focused on Professor Yunus’ practical experience in microcredit, social business and financial inclusion, as well as his Three Zeros vision of zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero net carbon emissions.
HE Dr Al Jasser commended Professor Yunus for his contribution to expanding economic opportunities for underserved communities and for demonstrating how entrepreneurship can be applied to address social challenges.
 |
| Source: IsDB. HE Dr Al Jasser (left) with Professor Muhammad Yunus (right). |
A key part of the discussion focused on young people and the need to create greater opportunities, rekindle hope and address the factors that drive them to seek opportunities elsewhere. HE Dr Al Jasser noted the changing aspirations of younger generations, including the growing desire among many young people to create opportunities rather than follow traditional employment pathways.
Professor Yunus stressed the importance of turning young people’s creativity into problem-solving and entrepreneurship. He highlighted initiatives designed to nurture young people as job creators rather than job seekers and emphasised the growing potential of a digitally-connected generation to address social challenges.
The two sides also explored how lessons from Bangladesh’s experience in microfinance and social business could be relevant to other IsDB member countries. HE Dr Al Jasser expressed interest in learning from Bangladesh’s experience, while Professor Yunus invited IsDB to examine Grameen programmes more closely for viable approaches that could be relevant across member countries.
Professor Yunus also outlined initiatives led by the Yunus Centre and the wider Grameen network in social business, financial inclusion and digital healthcare, including community-based models in healthcare, eye care, nursing education and related services.
During the meeting, Professor Yunus welcomed IsDB’s continued partnership with Bangladesh and referred to the US$1 B financing agreement signed earlier in the day for the modernisation and expansion of the Eastern Refinery as a reflection of the depth of the relationship between Bangladesh and IsDB.
The meeting reflected a shared interest in people-centred approaches to development, youth entrepreneurship and social business, and in exploring how practical experience from Bangladesh could inform wider development efforts across IsDB member countries.