DE News Desk :
Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government, arrived in Rome this afternoon to attend the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis.
Prof Yunus landed at Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport at approximately 2:15 PM local time, where he was received by Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Italy and the Ambassador to the Holy See, according to Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Adviser departed from Doha’s Hamad International Airport at around 9:25 AM (12:25 PM BST), following a formal send-off by Qatar’s Chief of Protocol, Ibrahim bin Yousif Abdullah Fakhroo.
Upon arrival in Rome, Prof Yunus is scheduled to visit St. Peter’s Square to pay his respects to the late Pope Francis.
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Vicar General for Vatican City, will extend an official welcome to the Chief Adviser and the accompanying Bangladeshi delegation at the square.
On Saturday morning, Prof Yunus will attend the funeral mass for the Pope, which is set to begin at 9:30 AM local time.
He is expected to depart Rome on Sunday at 8:00 AM (12:00 PM BST) and return to Dhaka in the early hours of Monday.