Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday attended the funeral of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square and paid his last tribute to the Pope.

The Chief Adviser was greeted by senior officials of the Vatican as he entered St. Peter's Basilica, where the mortal remains of the Pope were lying in state, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told UNB.

Prof Yunus stood in solemn silence in front of the coffin to pay his last respects to the late Pope Francis.

He then joined the two-hour-long funeral mass along with leaders of the world's more than 130 countries.

Ahead of the funeral and after the service, the Chief Adviser exchanged greetings with some of the world leaders, including the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, EU President Ursula von der Leyen, former US president Joe Biden, President of Finland Alexander Stubb, Kenyan President , Montenegro President, Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, President of Ecuador, President of East Timor, Prime Minister of Honduras, President of Iceland, President of Portugal, the King and Queen of Belgium, Prime Minister of Belgium, Prince Albert of Monaco, Prince and Princess of Norway, Prime Minister of Tunisia, Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein, Director General of WHO, President of IOC Tomas Bach, foreign ministers of Sri Lanka, Bahrain and Syria, former US secretary of state John Kerry.

Pope Francis was laid to rest Saturday following the funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Square attended by presidents, princes and as many as a quarter-million more.

Late Pope Francis was the big admirer of the Prof Yunus’ work for the marginalised people across the globe and his vision for a three zero work where there will be no unemployment, no poverty and zero carbon emission.

The Vatican also launched a joint Three Zero Initiative in Rome with the 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate.

Earlier, Chief Adviser Prof Yunus visited Bangladesh House in Rome on Friday and signed visitor’s book, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Azad told UNB.

An hour after his arrival in Rome from Doha, Qatar, the Chief Adviser visited St. Peter Square on Friday afternoon to pay homage to the mortal remains of Pope Francis.

Prof Yunus' presence represents a significant tribute to the memory of the Pontiff, with whom he had established a deep and genuine bond, founded on shared values and a common vision for humanity.

The Chief Adviser was received by the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Italy and the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Vatican City.

He will depart the Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport around 8:00 am (12:00pm Bangladesh Standard Time) on Sunday and is expected to reach home in the early hours on Monday, Azad said