Dhaka, April 18 -- In a historic first, four national women athletes from Bangladesh will accompany Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on his upcoming four-day state visit to Qatar, scheduled to begin on Monday.

The delegation includes footballers Afida Khandakar and Shaheda Akhter Ripa, and cricketers Sumaiya Akhter and Sharmin Sultana, the press wing of the Chief Adviser confirmed on Thursday.

This is the first time a group of female athletes will travel as part of an official state delegation with a head of government of Bangladesh.

The Qatar Foundation extended the invitation to the athletes through the Office of the Chief Adviser.

On Thursday evening, the four athletes met with Professor Yunus at the state guesthouse Jamuna, ...