Doha, Apr 26 (V7N)- Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus has departed from Qatar to Vatican City to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away earlier this week. The Chief Advisor left Doha’s Hamad International Airport at 9:25 am local time on Friday (April 26).

He was seen off at the airport by Ibrahim bin Youssef Abdullah Fakhru, Qatar's Chief of Protocol, according to Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar.

Dr. Yunus is scheduled to arrive in Rome at 2:15 pm Italian time, where he will be received by Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Italy. Shortly after his arrival, the Chief Advisor will visit St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City to pay homage to the late Pope.

The Vatican’s General Eminence Cardinal Mauro Gambetti will welcome Dr. Yunus and the accompanying Bangladeshi delegation at St. Peter’s Square. Dr. Yunus will return to the Square at around 9:30 am on Saturday to attend the official funeral ceremony.

Following the funeral, the Chief Advisor is expected to depart from Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome at 8:00 am on Sunday (April 27), which corresponds to 12 noon Bangladesh time, and is scheduled to return to Dhaka early Monday morning (April 28).

Pope Francis’s passing has sparked global mourning, and Dr. Yunus’s presence reflects Bangladesh’s solidarity with the global Catholic community during this solemn occasion.

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