Staff Reporter :
After concluding his engagements in Rome, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus departed for Bangladesh on Sunday morning, expected to arrive on Monday.
His trip followed a four-day official visit to Qatar before paying his respects to Pope Francis, a personal friend.
During a meeting in Rome on Saturday, Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, and Uruguay’s Foreign Minister, Mario Lubetkin, expressed strong interest in enhancing cooperation between Latin America and Asia.
Their discussions focused on mutual interests, particularly global trade and the need for increased collaboration between the two regions.
Lubetkin highlighted the importance of expanding trade and investment between Uruguay and Bangladesh, advocating for stronger economic ties, particularly between Dhaka and Mercosur member countries.
The ministers explored potential strategies for investing in youth and promoting social business enterprises, while also reaffirming their shared vision for a “Three Zero” world-zero unemployment, zero wealth concentration, and zero net carbon emissions.
Professor Yunus underscored the significance of maintaining regular high-level dialogues and invited Lubetkin to visit Bangladesh in the near future.
The meeting was also attended by key members of the Bangladesh delegation, including Lamiya Morshed, SDG Coordinator; Tareq Ariful Islam, Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the Vatican; and Rokebul Haque, Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Italy.
In a separate engagement, Professor Yunus met with Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi and Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, both of the Holy Roman Church, where they discussed the importance of continued interfaith dialogue in Bangladesh.
Yunus reiterated the country’s commitment to religious harmony and the Interim Government’s efforts to protect the rights of all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, creed, or gender.
Earlier in the day, Yunus attended the funeral mass of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square, where he exchanged greetings with several world leaders, including UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and former US President Joe Biden.
