People pay tribute to Dhaka cafe attack victims

People from all walks of life on Saturday paid their respects by placing wreaths to the victims of Holey Artisan attack.

Representatives of various political parties including Awami League, BNP, Jubo League, various civil societies and police personnel paid their respects.

On the evening of July 1, 2016, five armed militants entered the Holey Artisan Café and Bakery with crude bombs, machetes and pistols, and took several dozen people hostages, including 18 foreigners who gathered for dinner inside the café.

Twenty hostages — nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian, one Bangladeshi-born American and two Bangladeshis — were killed in the attack as the militants sprayed them with bullets indiscriminately or cut their throats to confirm their death.

Besides, two police officers — the then Officer-in Charge of Banani Police Station Salauddin Ahmed Khan and Detective Branch (DB)’s Assistant Commissioner Robiul Islam — were shot dead when police tried to gain control of the café.

Thirteen people, including three foreigners, were rescued while 20 bodies of the hostages were recovered from the restaurant after a successful operation led by the 1st Para-commando Battalion, an elite force in the Bangladesh Army, the following morning on July 2.

Five militants and one restaurant staff were killed and one suspected militant was arrested during the drive