Dr. Yunus’s ‘Three Zeros Theory’ is being added to the SDG activities.

The government is considering adding the ‘Three Zeros’ theory of sustainable development of Professor Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor to the interim government, to the activities taken by the government to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The government’s policymakers believe that it will be easier to achieve the target of sustainable development through the effective application of this theory at both the public and private levels.

The ‘Three Zeros Theory’ is one of the most popular and effective models in the world today for financial independence, creating a working manpower and improving the environment. It is a social and economic vision, which is based on achieving three important goals. They are – zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero net carbon emissions. And to achieve them, youth, technology, good governance and social business are needed.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the pioneer of Grameen Bank and the concept of microfinance, has received special respect around the world for his Three Zeros Theory. The main goal of the SDGs is to create a better world for all and a sustainable future.

Regarding the Three Zeros theory, Lamia Morshed, Principal Coordinator and Senior Secretary for SDGs at the Office of the Principal Advisor, told BSS, “We are trying to link the Three Zeros theory with the SDGs. We are holding a workshop on the SDGs with government and private sector officials, where we are discussing this theory. We want awareness to be created at all levels about the Three Zeros theory for the sake of sustainable development.”

She mentioned that the Three Zeros theory has been included in the activities to meet the SDG goals, but the Principal Advisor to the interim government, Professor Yunus, does not want to impose the application of this theory on anyone. Our aim is that whoever likes it will accept it and use it. That is why no initiative has been taken at any major level of the government outside the SDGs.

The main basis of the Three-Zero theory is to reduce poverty, unemployment and carbon emissions to zero. Regarding this theory, Professor Yunus said, ‘The current economic system itself creates poverty and it is not possible to eliminate poverty under this system. People do not create poverty alone, poverty is created within our economic structure.’

According to him, emphasis should be placed on creating entrepreneurs instead of looking for good jobs. He has said in his speeches on various occasions, ‘We were born to solve problems, not to work under anyone. Therefore, the young generation must become entrepreneurs. We must lead the world on our own feet, not under anyone.’

Professor Yunus recently presented the ‘Three Zero’ theory on a large scale at the Global Climate Conference held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to build a habitable, safe world and a new civilization. He presented this theory in his speech at the conference and said that it will give birth to a new civilization. Will build a new world, which will be habitable for everyone.

He also said that it is possible to change lifestyles by applying this theory. This new lifestyle or ‘lifestyle’ is needed for the safety of the environment. That lifestyle will not be imposed. It has to be liked. The youth will accept it with joy and love. In this way, each of the youth will develop themselves as a ‘Three Zero Person’.

Explaining what a ‘Three Zero Person’ is, this Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist said that that person will not emit carbon. That is, he will be ‘zero carbon’. He will not be a sole hoarder of wealth. His wealth will be based on social business. That is, he will be ‘zero poor’ and in this way, each of them will take the initiative to fulfill the third condition of ‘zero unemployment’. That is, according to Muhammad Yunus, if poverty, unemployment and carbon emissions can be reduced to zero, a new world free from worries and habitable will be created.

Lamia Morshed, a long-time colleague of Professor Yunus, mentioned that the Three Zero Club plays a special role in developing Three Zero Persons. She believes that the members of this club become aware of the Three Zero theory and eventually develop into Three Zero Persons themselves.

Lamia Morshed, who serves as the director of the Yunus Center, said that there are currently about 4,600 Three Zero Clubs around the world, each of which is inspired by Professor Yunus’s dream of a new civilization. Most of these clubs have been established in universities.

Although Three Zero Clubs have been established in numerous prestigious universities around the world, this club has not developed equally in Bangladesh. During the dictatorship of Sheikh Hasina, who fled in the face of the mass movement of students and the public, it was quite risky for any university student or any other person to show interest in forming this Three Zero Club. We also had to face a hostile environment in conducting awareness-raising activities about Professor Yunus’s Three Zero Theory.

In this regard, Lamia Morshed said, “During the government led by Sheikh Hasina, there was a ambivalence among many people about establishing a Three Zero Club in Bangladesh, but now that situation has changed, its scope is increasing day by day. Now many people are coming forward. There is a lot of response. Recently, workshops on the Three Zero theory have increased a lot. This is not a central initiative, it is being done by everyone on their own initiative from their own position. They just let people know through networking that we are doing this.”

He said that the Three Zero Club cannot register anyone if they want to, and several factors are considered in this regard. Registration is given only after seeing whether they are doing the work they are doing seriously and whether it is sustainable.

Quoting the statement of Professor Yunus, one of the proponents of sustainable development, Lamia Morshed said, ‘Sir always says that the problems in our society are created by ourselves. The youth are the right people to solve these problems, because they have many new ideas in their heads, they can use them to solve the problems and move forward. For this, he told those aged 12 to 35 that you can form the Three Zero Club.’ He mentioned that this club can be formed by 4 to 5 people.

Lamia Morshed believes that social business is very important in actually implementing the Three Zero theory of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

She said that after microcredit and microfinance, Dr. Yunus’s new program is social business. The main idea of ​​this idea is that one will arrange his own job and also provide job opportunities to others. That is, I started a business with a loan where three to five more people will work and they will have employment. The profit that will come from this business will be spent on public welfare.

The profit can be spent on health, education or environmental development. In this way, we can move towards sustainable development, he commented.

Stating that Professor Yunus always emphasizes poverty alleviation, creating entrepreneurs and reducing environmental pollution, Lamia Morshed said, ‘Dr. Yunus always says that if there is no specific goal, how will we move forward. So every work must have a specific goal. His development theory does not only encompass Bangladesh, but it focuses on the welfare and future of the whole world.’

The Chief Coordinator for SDGs further said that the main theme of Professor Yunus’ social business is – I will not make any profit from here, but my principal money must be returned. So that that money can be used for another social activity. Muhammad Yunus used to say that social activities should be continued with microcredit. Social activities give a lot of satisfaction to the mind, because people benefit a lot from it.

He said that there are Yunus Social Business Centers in 110 universities in 39 countries of the world. Where microcredit businesses are taught. Three Zero Clubs are being formed in their interest. The main goal of this club is to achieve zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero carbon emissions.

Lamia Morshed said that the Three Zeros issue will be kept at the youth conference (Youth Festival) to be held in Bangladesh next January. Sports mostly work as a part of entertainment, work is being done on how to make it a part of social activities. Many people participate in a tournament, if we give a theme that we will move towards zero waste, we will not use plastic, we will not throw garbage on the streets. If we can create awareness about this, there will be a big change in society.

He said, for example, if a player like Messi says that we will do zero waste, then this message will spread all over the world. He mentioned that we are trying to do some such work to create awareness about the Three Zeros theory.

Dr. MA Razzak, former Chief Economist of the International Trade Department of the Commonwealth Secretariat and Chairman of the research organization Rapid, believes that the Three Zeros theory of Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor to the Interim Government, can play a leading role in environmentally friendly and sustainable economic development.

He said, I believe that the ‘Three Zeros Theory’ will act as a catalyst in achieving the goals in all indicators of sustainable development. He thinks that the idea of ​​the Three Zeros theory has the potential to bring about a new revolution in agriculture and other sectors in Bangladesh through the empowerment of youth, use of technology, establishment of good governance and social business. Entrepreneurs are not being created in our country, whereas economic development is not possible without the development of entrepreneurs.

Dr. Razzak said that if the Three Zeros theory is implemented, entrepreneurship will be developed at all levels in the country and the desired development of the economy can be achieved.

Do Follow: greenbanglaonline24