CA Yunus departs Qatar for Vatican to attend Pope Francis’s funeral

Bangladesh’s interim government Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, departed Qatar for the Vatican at 9:25 AM local time (12:25 PM Bangladesh Standard Time) on Friday to attend the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis.

The Chief of Protocol of the State of Qatar, Ibrahim bin Yousif Abdullah Fakhroo, formally saw off Professor Yunus at Hamad International Airport in Doha.

According to Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, the Chief Adviser is expected to arrive in Rome by 2:15 PM local time, where he will be received by Bangladesh's Ambassador to Italy and the Ambassador to Vatican City.

Shortly after his arrival, Professor Yunus will visit St. Peter’s Square at 3:15 PM to pay homage to the mortal remains of Pope Francis. He will be officially welcomed by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City, along with other Vatican dignitaries.

On Saturday, at approximately 9:30 AM, the Chief Adviser will return to St. Peter’s Square to attend the Funeral Mass of the late Pope.

Professor Yunus is scheduled to depart from Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport in Rome at 8:00 AM local time (12:00 PM BST) on Sunday and is expected to arrive in Dhaka in the early hours of Monday.