Ravisankar Maitree, a Bangladeshi cultural activist in Paris, confirmed the news of Father Rigon's death in a Facebook video.

Citing Father Rigon's niece Martha Alessandro Janine, Maitree said the priest breathed his last while undergoing treatment in Italy's Vicenza on Friday evening.

Born on Jan 5, 1925 at Villaverla in Italy, Father Rigon came to Bangladesh in 1953 and stayed at Haldibunia village of Mongla for a long time.

He played a key role in poverty alleviation, expansion of education, providing medical services and development of poor women.

He took part in the Liberation War of Bangladesh by sheltering and taking care of injured freedom fighters during the 1971 war.

He also translated a number of Bangla literary works, including Rabindranath Tagore's Geetanjali, mystic poet Lalon Fakir's songs, and Jasim Uddin's Nakshikanthar Math, in Italian.

Many of the books were later re-translated to French, Spanish and Portuguese.

Father Rigon established a Rabindra study centre in Italy in 1990.

He also highlighted Bangladesh's traditional Nakshikantha, a type of embroidered quilt, in Italy. Nakshikanthas produced in his Shelabunia Sewing Centre have been exhibited in Italian cities.

Education was his major area of work in Bangladesh. Seventeen institutions have been established under his supervision.

A Bangladeshi theatre troupe staged musical drama Nakshikanthar Math in Italy with his help in 1986.