Dhaka, April 24 -- Bangladesh is observing three days of mourning to commemorate the death of Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and head of state of Vatican City.

The national flag will be flown at half-mast at all government, semi-government and autonomous institutions, educational institutions, and all government and private buildings in Bangladesh and Bangladesh missions abroad from Thursday to Saturday as part of the observance.

In addition, special prayers will be organised for Pope Francis's soul.

The decision to observe three days of state mourning was announced in a notification by the Cabinet Department on Wednesday.

Pope Francis, the senior most religious leader of the Roman Catholic faith, died at the Vatican's ...