Bangladesh interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Sunday left Rome for home a day after joining the funeral mass of Pope Francis at St Peter鈥檚 Square in Vatican City.
Professor Yunus departed from the Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport at about 09:30am local time, chief adviser鈥檚 press secretary Shafiqul Alam told BSS. He is expected to reach Dhaka early Monday.
Wrapping up his four-day Qatar tour on April 25, Yunus flew directly to Rome to pay his last respect to his old friend, Pope Francis. On Saturday, he joined the funeral of Pope Francis at Peter鈥檚 Basilica.
Ahead of the funeral and after the service, the chief adviser exchanged greetings with some of the world leaders, including UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, German chancellor Olaf Scholz, EU president Ursula von der Leyen, former US president Joe Biden, Finland president Alexander Stubb, Kenyan president Montenegro President, Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Ecuador president, East Timor president, Honduras prime minister, Iceland president, Portugal president, the King, Queen and prime minister of Belgium, Prince Albert of Monaco, Prince and Princess of Norway, Tunisia prime minister, Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein, director general of WHO, IOC president, foreign ministers of Sri Lanka, Bahrain and Syria, and a former US secretary of state.
On Saturday, Silvano Maria Tomasi, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, called on Bangladesh chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his hotel in Rome. Cardinal Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue George Jacob Koovakad also met the chief adviser at his hotel.
The two cardinals recalled Pope Francis鈥檚 lifelong mission to champion the causes of the poor and marginalised, his efforts to eradicate poverty, and his vision of a world without war or nuclear weapons.
They deeply appreciated Professor Yunus鈥檚 work, describing him as a close friend of the late Pope and thanking him for dedicating his life to the fight against poverty.
Prof Yunus reminisced about his long association with Pope Francis, saying the Pope had the ability to embrace everyone, regardless of their religious background. 鈥楬e was an amaing human being.鈥�
Besides, Uruguay foreign minister Mario Lubetkin called on Professor Yunus at his hotel as well.
Lamiya Morshed, the government鈥檚 SDG coordinator, Tareq Ariful Islam, ambassador to the Vatican and Rokebul Haque, ambassador to Italy, were also present during the meetings.
