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Dhaka, April 27, 2025 – Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, held separate meetings with senior Catholic Church leaders, Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi and Cardinal Jacob Kuvakad, in Rome on Saturday, April 26, following the funeral of Pope Francis. The meetings were confirmed by a statement from the Chief Adviser’s press wing on Sunday.
The discussions focused on Pope Francis’ lifelong commitment to protecting the poor and marginalized, his efforts to eradicate poverty, and his vision for a world free of war and nuclear weapons. Both cardinals expressed deep admiration for Professor Yunus’ work, describing him as a close friend of the late Pope and thanking him for dedicating his life to fighting poverty.
Recalling his long association with Pope Francis, Professor Yunus highlighted the Pope’s ability to embrace people regardless of their religious background. “He was an extraordinary human being,” Yunus said. He noted their multiple meetings during the Pope’s tenure and recalled a critical letter he wrote about the need to reform the Vatican Bank to make it more inclusive for the poor, which was published on the front page of the Vatican’s official newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano. Yunus emphasized that Pope Francis published the letter in full despite its critique of the Vatican Bank’s operations and controversies.
Professor Yunus also shared how Pope Francis appointed him to lead several committees focused on reforming the Vatican’s banking system and expanding the Church’s pro-poor initiatives. In November, the Vatican launched the Pope Francis-Yunus Three Zero Club in Rome, aiming to promote a world with zero unemployment, zero wealth concentration, and zero net carbon emissions.
“I am a Muslim, yet Pope Francis never objected to someone from a different faith using his name,” Yunus said. “He never saw me as an outsider.” He also recalled being honored by the Catholic Church with the Torch of St. Francis of Assisi for embodying the spirit of the 13th-century Italian mystic and saint.
The cardinals noted that the College of Cardinals, of which they are key members, will convene next week to elect the next Pope. Both are considered potential candidates for the Church’s top leadership position.
Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi, former Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva, discussed geopolitical issues with Professor Yunus. Having recently visited Southeast Asia, Cardinal Tomasi praised Pope Francis’ efforts to end conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. He emphasized the rapid development in Southeast Asia and the need for steps to promote peace and maintain calm during times of tension.
Professor Yunus praised Vietnam’s remarkable economic growth, noting that his government is working to emulate it by attracting more foreign investment and transforming Bangladesh into an economic hub.
Cardinal Jacob Kuvakad, Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and a native of Kerala, India, met Professor Yunus at his hotel in Rome. He announced that the Catholic Church in Bangladesh will host an interfaith dialogue in September, bringing together leaders from various religions.
Professor Yunus stressed the importance of ongoing dialogue among Bangladesh’s diverse religious communities and highlighted the interim government’s commitment to religious harmony and protecting the rights of all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, religion, caste, or gender.
The meetings were attended by Lamiya Morshed, the government’s SDG Coordinator, Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the Vatican, Tarek Ariful Islam, and Ambassador to Italy, Rokibul Haque.
