Pope Francis arrives in Bangladesh

A red carpet was rolled out as the pope arrived here on a special aircraft after wrapping up his Myanmar tour during which he sent out a message that justice and human rights are the foundation of peace, in an apparent reference to the Rohingya crisis.

President Abdul Hamid received the pope at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

A contingent of Bangladesh's armed forces gave him a guard of honour. His programmes include a visit to the National Memorial for Liberation War martyrs, Bangabandhu Memorial Museum and join a civic reception at Bangabhaban presidential palace.

It the second leg of pope's tour to the region amid heightened Rohingya crisis. About 620,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar’s Rakhine State to Bangladesh since August to avoid military crackdown at their home.

This is the second visit to Bangladesh by a pope. Pope John Paul II had visited the country in 1986.