Muhammad Yunus is building digital muscle

Ambitious plans have been unveiled to acquire supremacy in publicity through cutting-edge technology for Muhammad Yunus. But his associates have claimed it is not for the Nobel laureate's political career.

A namesake outfit, Yunus Secretariat, will provide "continuous access to his message via the creative use of video, broadcast, and internet technology" from its Dhaka office. Vidar Jorgensen of Yunus Secretariat has invited bids from the US to assist in "building world class web and video project are supporting the messages" of Yunus".

The Norwegian-American tycoon chartered a plane that flew Yunus and his entourage to Oslo for the Nobel awarding ceremony. Norway's media at that time blamed Jorgensen for helping Yunus from behind the scene in a propaganda war against Telenor to acquire Grameenphone's ownership.

The laureate's spokesperson Muhammad Jahangir had revealed "Yunus Secretariat" in Oslo's press briefing on the day before his elder brother received the Nobel Prize. But he did not give any details of this outfit in that event.

Later, Yunus Secretariat has made a request for the proposal to build a "world class communications centre" at the Grameen Bank headquarters in Dhaka.

It will be equipped with an audiovisual production studio connected with a satellite uplink "from which Professor Yunus can broadcast ? via television or internet ? speeches, seminars, and other events."

A modern broadcast quality studio "will offer commercial services as a way to defray costs and maintain world class standards." A digital library will be the "solid foundation" of Yunus' presentations, stories, field visits, training and other video materials.

Creating a new internet site for Yunus Secretariat will be his "face to the world."

It will include a press room "equal to some of the best corporate sites such as Coca Cola, McDonalds, or IBM." A communications expert based in Bangladesh will run the show along with other staffs.

Who will finance the mega-project?

"We don't know how much it will cost but a few companies have agreed to sponsor it," Grameen America's communications officer Jacki Lippman told bdnews24.com by telephone Tuesday.

She works with Vidar Jorgensen of Yunus Secretariat on the project. But Jacki Lippman did not answer if the proposed modern communication facilities will be used for the laureate's political campaign in Bangladesh.

Yunus Secretariat's CEO Lamiya Morshed has ruled out that option. "It will be used only for the issues pertaining to the Nobel Peace Prize," she told bdnews24.com in Dhaka.

She expressed ignorance about Vidar Jorgensen's bid invitation and Jacki Lippman's sponsors for the mega ICT and broadcasting project for Yunus.

"This idea was mooted by few Bangladeshi expatriates and we are trying to source used equipment to build the project."

Lamiya Morshed further said the donors have been approached to assist in this regard. But she refused to reveal the donors' identity .