Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus returned home early Monday, wrapping up his week-long engagements in Rome, Italy and Doha, Qatar.
A commercial flight carrying the Chief Adviser and his small entourage landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 3am on Monday after joining the funeral mass of Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City on Saturday.
SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator Lamiya Morshed and Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, among others, accompanied the Chief Adviser during the funeral of Pope Francis, who, according to Prof Yunus, was an "amazing" human being.
The Chief Adviser left Rome for home on Sunday, a day after joining the funeral mass of Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told UNB.
Prof Yunus visited Rome from Doha, Qatar, wrapping up his four-day official visit where he attended the Earthna Summit and had a series of meetings with the Qatari leadership, including the Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
On Friday, the Chief Adviser flew directly to Rome to pay his last respects to his old friend Pope Francis.
Meanwhile, senior leaders of the Catholic Church — Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi and Cardinal Jacob Koovakad — met separately with Prof Yunus on Saturday shortly after the Funeral Mass of Pope Francis.
The two cardinals recalled Pope Francis’s 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’ work, describing him as a close friend of the late Pope and thanking him for dedicating his life to the fight against poverty.
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Professor Yunus reminisced about his long association with Pope Francis, saying the Pope had the ability to embrace everyone, regardless of their religious background.
He recalled meeting Pope Francis many times during his pontificate and highlighted how one of his critical letters to the Holy See — addressing the need to reform the Vatican Bank — was published on the front page of the Vatican’s official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.
"I wrote about how the Vatican should reform its bank to make it more friendly to the poor. I was critical of its performance and controversies. Yet, the Pope published the entire letter," he said.
Prof Yunus shared how Pope Francis appointed him to chair several committees focused on reforming the Vatican’s banking practices and expanding the Church’s pro-poor initiatives.
In November, the Vatican launched the Pope Francis–Yunus Three Zero Clubs in Rome, aimed at promoting Professor Yunus’s vision of a world with zero unemployment, zero wealth concentration, and zero net carbon emissions.
"I am a Muslim. Yet Pope Francis never objected to his name being used alongside a person from a different faith," Professor Yunus noted.
Prof Yunus scheduled to return home early Monday
He also recounted being honored with the Torch of St. Francis of Assisi by the Catholic Church for embodying the spirit of the 13th-century Italian mystic and saint.
"He never treated me as an outsider," Professor Yunus said, reflecting on his rich memories with the late Pope.
Cardinal Tomasi and Cardinal Koovakad mentioned that the College of Cardinals, of which they are key members, will meet next week to elect the next Pope. Both cardinals are seen as potential candidates for the Church’s top leadership position.
Meeting with Cardinal Tomasi
Cardinal Tomasi, a longtime former Permanent Observer of the Holy See in the UN offices in Geneva, called on the Chief Adviser on Saturday.
Cardinal Tomasi, who recently visited Southeast Asia, discussed geopolitical issues with the Chief Adviser. Both leaders praised Pope Francis’s efforts to call for an end to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
"Southeast Asia is evolving too fast," he said, reflecting on his visit to Vietnam, which has been clocking robust growth in recent years.
He stressed more peace-building measures in the region and staying calm in times of tension.
Professor Yunus also praised Vietnam's spectacular economic growth, saying his government was trying to emulate the South Asian nation in its efforts to attract more foreign investments and turn Bangladesh into an economic hub.
Cardinal Tomasi said he hoped the next Pope would "keep the informality of Pope Francis" and "promote dialogue of peace among countries."
Meeting with Cardinal Jacob Koovakad
Earlier in the afternoon, Cardinal Koovakad, who is the Vatican Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, called on the Chief Adviser at his hotel in Rome.
Cardinal Koovakad, who is from the Indian state of Kerala, announced that the Catholic Church in Bangladesh would host an interfaith dialogue in September this year, bringing together leaders from various religions.
Professor Yunus emphasised the importance of continued dialogue among people of different faiths in Bangladesh.
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He highlighted the country's commitment to religious harmony and the interim government’s efforts to protect the rights of all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, creed, color, or gender.