The nation observed a two-day mourning in commemoration of those killed during the hostage standoff at a Gulshan café.In her televised address to the nation in the wake of the grisly attack on the Spanish eatery in the country’s diplomatic zone, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday announced the two-day state mourning.
On Monday morning, the Prime Minister paid homage to the Gulshan attack victims at Army Stadium in Banani in the capital.
The Prime Minister paid tributes by placing wreaths on the coffins of the victims at 10:03am.
The bodies of the victims, who were killed in the barbaric attack by armed terrorists during their 12-hour siege to Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan-2 area of the capital from Friday evening to Saturday morning, were kept at the Army Stadium from 10 am to 12 noon to facilitate the people of all strata for paying homage to them.
On Friday evening, seven gunmen stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery and opened fire and took around 40 people, including restaurant staff and guests — both locals and foreigners — hostage.
Twenty hostages — nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian, one Bangladeshi-born American and two Bangladeshis — were killed in the terror attack at the restaurant.
Besides, two senior police officers — Banani Police Station officer-in-charge Salauddin Ahmed Khan and Detective Branch assistant commissioner Robiul Islam — were killed as they tried to rescue the hostages.
Thirteen people, including three foreigners, were rescued while 20 bodies of the hostages were recovered from the restaurant after a successful operation codenamed ‘Thunderbolt’.
Six of the seven gunmen were killed and one suspected militant was arrested during the drive.
