In a notable first, four Bangladeshi female athletes joined a welcome reception hosted by Qatar Foundation leadership at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Doha, ahead of the upcoming Earthana Summit.
The athletes—footballers Afida Khandaker and Shaheda Akhter Ripa, along with cricketers Sumaiya Akhter and Sharmin Sultana—are accompanying Nobel Laureate and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus during his four-day visit to Qatar.
Their presence marks a historic moment, as it's the first time national female athletes from Bangladesh are part of such an international delegation with Prof Yunus, at the invitation of Qatar Foundation.
Professor Yunus arrived in Doha on Monday night aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight. He was received at Hamad International Airport around 9:40pm (Doha time) by Bangladesh Ambassador to Qatar, Md. Nazrul Islam, according to Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.
He had earlier departed from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 7:00pm (Dhaka time) the same day.
