Leftist political parties, mass organizations and individuals of Bangladesh announced to formation of a People’s Tribunal against the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Political and social Activists, academics and researchers at a discussion meeting today (7 December) decided that Justice Golam Rabbani would lead the public tribunal.
Speaker at the meeting said such lending agencies as the World Bank have exacerbated poverty and worsened disparity through their policy prescriptions. It is important to let these agencies know that we, the people of Bangladesh can take it upon ourselves to assess and monitor their work as they have done for years. Thus
They criticized the World Bank for ‘ruining’ Bangladesh’s jute, sugar and the banking sector by prescribing various programs that were contrary to the public interest. The garments industry is also in a risk due to the advice and prescriptions provided by the World Bank and the Asian Development bank. These organizations were against investing in backward linkage of the garment industries. We have learned it from bitter experience learn that they do not work for the improvement of general people. They blamed the successive governments of Bangladesh for implementing such programs.
Meeting decided that a public tribunal committee will formed in next meeting in 19th December next.