Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, was born on June 28, 1940, in Chittagong, Bangladesh. He attended Chittagong College and earned a master's degree from the University of Dhaka. He then traveled to the United States and earned a PhD in economics from Vanderbilt University in 1969. He served as an assistant professor of economics at Middle Tennessee State University from 1969 to 1972, before returning to the United States and becoming Dean of the Department of Economics at Chittagong University. After witnessing the plight of the poor following the 1974 Great Famine, he became passionate about relief work and founded Grameen Bank in 1983. He implemented a nationwide approach to microcredit (small, unsecured loans) to help the rural poor achieve self-reliance, making a significant contribution to poverty alleviation in Bangladesh. This approach has become a model for aid efforts by many international organizations and NGOs, and it is said that more than 100 million people worldwide now benefit from microcredit.

In recognition of their achievements, they were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize together with Grameen Bank in 2006. Furthermore, they have received over 100 awards, including the Magsaysay Award, known as the Asian Nobel Prize, and the US Medal of Freedom, as well as over 40 prestigious titles (such as honorary doctorates) from universities around the world.

In 2011, a Grameen Bank group company and Fast Retailing, the operator of UNIQLO, established a joint venture, GRAMEEN UNIQLO Ltd. By expanding the apparel manufacturing and retail process from production to sales in Bangladesh, the company aims to address social issues facing the country, such as poverty and employment.