Dr Muhammad Yunus's birthday today

Today (Saturday) marks the 86th birthday of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus. He was born on June 28, 1940, in Bathua village of Shikarpur Union in Hathazari upazila of Chattogram. His father, Dula Mia Saudagar, was a goldsmith, and his mother was Sufia Khatun. He is married to Professor Dina Afroz, and the couple has two daughters.

Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, told the media that no official programs have been planned to celebrate Dr. Yunus’s birthday. The government will not hold any formal celebrations.

Dr. Yunus passed the matriculation exam from Chittagong Collegiate School, securing the 16th position out of 39,000 students in what was then East Pakistan. He continued his studies at Chittagong College and later completed his bachelor's degree in economics at Dhaka University. In 1961, he started his career as a lecturer in economics at Chittagong College and was subsequently promoted to professor.

In 1965, he went to the United States on a Fulbright Scholarship for higher education. He earned his PhD from Vanderbilt University in 1971 and later worked as an assistant professor of economics at Middle Tennessee State University.

After returning to Bangladesh in 1974, he started a microcredit program in Jobra village in 1976, which later became Grameen Bank in 1983. Today, this model is followed in more than 40 countries around the world. Dr Yunus and Grameen Bank jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 — the first time a Bangladeshi received this honor. He has also received the Independence Award, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal, and many other national and international honors.

Currently, Dr. Muhammad Yunus is serving as the Chief Adviser of the interim government. The movement that started last July, led by students and citizens demanding quota reform, eventually escalated into a single demand for Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. After her departure to India and subsequent resignation, the interim government was formed on August 8 under Dr. Yunus’s leadership.