Chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus had a busy schedule on Tuesday, the opening day of the Conference of the Parties-29 global climate summit, in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan.
He is set to address the opening session of the World Leaders Climate Action Summit at COP29 on Wednesday.
The head of Bangladesh interim government and the 2006 Nobel Peace laureate met at least 20 top leaders of countries across the globe and heads of international agencies, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported quoting a message.
On Tuesday, he met Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish first lady at the summit of the world leaders at the COP29 venue.
President Erdogan invited him to visit Turkey. He assured Bangladesh of all possible help in its journey to carry out deep reforms and build a prosperous country.
Professor Yunus also invited the Turkish first couple to visit Bangladesh soon.
The chief adviser also met UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahiyan. He thanked the UAE president for releasing 57 Bangladeshi nationals who were imprisoned for staging protests in solidarity with the students in July.
CA Yunus met and greeted Shehbaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan, Mohamed Muizzu, president of the Maldives, Tshering Tobgay, prime minister of Bhutan and Ramchandra Paudel, president of Nepal.
Among others, the chief adviser met the prime minister of Belgium, president of Ghana, prime minister of Bosnia Herzegovina, president of Rwanda, prime minister of Albania, president of Montenegro, prime minister of Barbados, vice-presidents of Brazil and Iran, president of FIFA, and director general of International Organization for Migration.
Besides, Ahmed Eltayeb, the grand imam of the Al-Azhar Al Sharif, called on professor Yunus at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Baku Tuesday morning.
He said that Bangladesh would prosper and grow under the leadership of professor Yunus.
Ahmed Eltayeb, the head of one of the most respected Islamic religious institutions, also invited Yunus to deliver a speech at the millennium-old institution, saying that the Al-Azhar University would announce new fully-funded scholarships for the Bangladeshi students.
Professor Yunus thanked the grand imam for the invitation. He also invited Ahmed Eltayeb to visit Bangladesh and to see for himself the profound changes brought in by the student-led mass uprising.
The Grand Imam hoped that Bangladesh would carry out the reforms. He praised Yunus鈥檚 leadership, his social services, Grameen Bank鈥檚 pioneering role as a micro-lender, and his lifelong efforts to combat poverty.
The chief adviser handed a copy of the Art of Triumph, the celebrated art book on the wall murals and graffiti painted during the revolution, to him.
The grand imam appreciated the artistic skills of the Bangladesh students.
He also praised the Bangladeshi students who are now studying at the Al-Azhar University.
Quoting the chief adviser鈥檚 press wing, another BSS report said professor Yunus would deliver his speech at the opening session of the World Leaders Climate Action Summit at COP29 expectedly between 1:30pm to 3:00pm Wednesday [Bangladesh time].
The COP29 began in Baku, on Monday. Professor Yunus is now on a four-day tour to Baku to join the climate meet.
