Bangladeshi troops stormed a cafe popular with foreigners in the diplomatic zone of the capital Dhaka after suspected Islamist militants took dozens hostage. 
 
The siege ended on Saturday morning with six gunmen killed, 13 hostages freed, one suspected terrorist taken alive and several casualties. 
 
 
What happened? 
 
Gunmen burst into a restaurant in the diplomatic quarter of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka around 9:20pm on Friday night. 
 
They set off explosives, shouting &quot;Allahu Akbar&quot; (God is Greater). 
 
During the ensuing exhange of fire with the police, the gunmen took up to 40 hostages, including foreigners and two police officers died. 
 
Following a 10-hour stand-off, commandos stormed the restaurant early Saturday morning, freeing several hostages. 
 
 
Where did it happen? 
 
The Holey Artisan Bakery restaurant is a western-style cafe situated on Road 79 in Dhaka&#39;s affluent Gulshan quarter. 
 
The diplomatic zone is home to expatriate workers and foreign missions, as well as restaurants, upmarket malls and members&#39; clubs. 
 
The incident took place near the city&#39;s Nordic Club and the Qatar embassy. 
 
 
Who is behind the attack? 
 
About four hours after the attack, the Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility, via an IS-affiliated news agency, Amaq. 
 
It later issued a number of photographs of what it said were scenes from inside the cafe showing what appeared to be several bodies lying in pools of blood. 
 
The news agency claimed that more than 20 people of different nationalities were killed. 
 
 
Who are the hostages? 
 
Little is known about the hostages, however, Italy&#39;s ambassador to Bangladesh Mario Palma told Italian state television that seven Italians are among the captives. 
 
Sri Lanka said two of its nationals were among the hostages, but had been freed. 
 
Tokyo said one Japanese was among those rescued, Jiji Press reported. 
 
 
Is this kind of attack common? 
 
The attack follows a series of murders of foreigners, religious minorities and secular activists in Bangladesh, blamed on or claimed by Islamist militants. For instance, Cesare Tavella, an Italian aid worker was shot dead in Gulshan last September, in an attack claimed by Islamic State. 
 
And in 2012 a Saudi Arabian diplomat was shot dead in the diplomatic zone. 
 
However, Friday&#39;s attack appears to have been on a much bigger scale and the first time that people were held hostage. 
 
The government and police deny that Islamic State is active in Bangladesh and blame homegrown militants for the killings. 
 
(AFP)

It ended 10 hours after it began with six gunmen killed, 13 hostages freed, one suspected terrorist taken alive and several casualties

Bangladeshi troops stormed a cafe popular with foreigners in the diplomatic zone of the capital Dhaka after suspected Islamist militants took dozens hostage. The siege ended on Saturday morning with six gunmen killed, 13 hostages freed, one suspected terrorist taken alive and several casualties. What happened? Gunmen burst into a restaurant in the diplomatic quarter of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka around 9:20pm on Friday night. They set off explosives, shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greater). During the ensuing exhange of fire with the police, the gunmen took up to 40 hostages, including foreigners and two police officers died. Following a 10-hour stand-off, commandos stormed the restaurant early Saturday morning, freeing several hostages. Where did it happen? The Holey Artisan Bakery restaurant is a western-style cafe situated on Road 79 in Dhaka's affluent Gulshan quarter. The diplomatic zone is home to expatriate workers and foreign missions, as well as restaurants, upmarket malls and members' clubs. The incident took place near the city's Nordic Club and the Qatar embassy. Who is behind the attack? About four hours after the attack, the Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility, via an IS-affiliated news agency, Amaq. It later issued a number of photographs of what it said were scenes from inside the cafe showing what appeared to be several bodies lying in pools of blood. The news agency claimed that more than 20 people of different nationalities were killed. Who are the hostages? Little is known about the hostages, however, Italy's ambassador to Bangladesh Mario Palma told Italian state television that seven Italians are among the captives. Sri Lanka said two of its nationals were among the hostages, but had been freed. Tokyo said one Japanese was among those rescued, Jiji Press reported. Is this kind of attack common? The attack follows a series of murders of foreigners, religious minorities and secular activists in Bangladesh, blamed on or claimed by Islamist militants. For instance, Cesare Tavella, an Italian aid worker was shot dead in Gulshan last September, in an attack claimed by Islamic State. And in 2012 a Saudi Arabian diplomat was shot dead in the diplomatic zone. However, Friday's attack appears to have been on a much bigger scale and the first time that people were held hostage. The government and police deny that Islamic State is active in Bangladesh and blame homegrown militants for the killings. (AFP)

The Dhaka siege: What, where, and who

Seven Italian nationals are thought to be among the hostages taken by gunmen who stormed a cafe popular with foreigners in the capital of Bangladesh on Friday, Italian state television said quoting the Italian ambassador to Bangladesh. 
 
Gunmen stormed a restaurant in the diplomatic quarter of Dhaka and took about 20 people hostage, including several foreigners, in an attack claimed by Islamic State. 
 
State TV RAI quoted the Italian ambassador in Dhaka, Mario Palma, as saying the seven Italians were businessmen. 
 
An Italian foreign ministry source said one Italian hostage had escaped. Italian media said the escaped man told police there were seven Italians still inside.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

One Italian man managed to escape, and it was he who told authorities seven of his countrymen remained

Seven Italian nationals are thought to be among the hostages taken by gunmen who stormed a cafe popular with foreigners in the capital of Bangladesh on Friday, Italian state television said quoting the Italian ambassador to Bangladesh. Gunmen stormed a restaurant in the diplomatic quarter of Dhaka and took about 20 people hostage, including several foreigners, in an attack claimed by Islamic State. State TV RAI quoted the Italian ambassador in Dhaka, Mario Palma, as saying the seven Italians were businessmen. An Italian foreign ministry source said one Italian hostage had escaped. Italian media said the escaped man told police there were seven Italians still inside. (Reuters)

Seven Italians among Dhaka hostages

Gunmen stormed a restaurant popular with expatriates in the diplomatic quarter of the Bangladeshi capital on Friday night and took about 20 people hostage, including several foreigners, in an attack claimed by Islamic State. 
 
The Islamist militant group said more than 20 people had been killed, although police have so far only confirmed the deaths of two policemen. 
 
In the latest flare-up of Islamist militant violence to hit the South Asian nation, police said eight to nine gunmen attacked the Holey Artisan restaurant in the upscale Gulshan area of Dhaka. 
 
The assailants, believed to be carrying assault rifles and grenades, exchanged sporadic fire with police outside, hours after the attack began around 9 pm local time. 
 
Two police officials died in the attack and WION can confirm that 30 security personnel were&nbsp;injured. A duty officer at the Rapid Action Battalion&#39;s control room in Dhaka said the gun battles had stopped and the hostages were unharmed. 
 
&quot;We are discussing ways to rescue the people, including foreigners, who are inside the cafe,&quot; police official Mohammad Habibur Rahman said. &quot;Our priority is to rescue them peacefully without the loss of any life&quot;. 
 
Earlier, Benjir Ahmed, the chief of Bangladesh&#39;s special police force, said police were preparing to launch an operation to rescue those being held captive. Ahmed said the attackers had hurled bombs at police. 
 
Television footage showed a number of police being led away from the site with blood on their faces and clothes. Heavily armed officers could be seen milling outside. 
 
A resident near the scene of the attack told Reuters he could hear sporadic gunfire nearly three hours after the attack began. 
 
&quot;It is chaos out there. The streets are blocked. There are dozens of police commandos,&quot; said Tarique Mir. 
 
Bangladesh has seen an increase in militant violence in the last year-and-a-half, with a series of deadly attacks targeting atheists, gays, liberals, foreigners and members of religious minorities in the mostly Muslim country of 160 million people. 
 
They have tended to be assaults on individuals, often using machetes, and the raid on the restaurant was a rare instance of a more coordinated operation. 
 
Both Islamic State and al Qaeda have claimed responsibility for many of the killings, although local authorities say there are no operational links between Bangladeshi militants and international jihadi networks. 
 
Militants killed two foreigners last year, leading several Western firms involved in the country&#39;s $25 billion garment sector to temporarily halt visits to Dhaka. 
 
The US State Department said all Americans working at the US mission there had been accounted for. A spokesman said in Washington the situation was &quot;very fluid, very live&quot;. 
 
President Barack Obama has also been briefed about the attack, the White House said. 
 
The German embassy in Dhaka is trying to determine if any German citizens were affected by the attack, a spokesman for the German foreign ministry said late Friday. 
 
(Reuters and WION)

Assailants believed to be carrying assault rifles and grenades, exchanged sporadic fire with police after attack began

Gunmen stormed a restaurant popular with expatriates in the diplomatic quarter of the Bangladeshi capital on Friday night and took about 20 people hostage, including several foreigners, in an attack claimed by Islamic State. The Islamist militant group said more than 20 people had been killed, although police have so far only confirmed the deaths of two policemen. In the latest flare-up of Islamist militant violence to hit the South Asian nation, police said eight to nine gunmen attacked the Holey Artisan restaurant in the upscale Gulshan area of Dhaka. The assailants, believed to be carrying assault rifles and grenades, exchanged sporadic fire with police outside, hours after the attack began around 9 pm local time. Two police officials died in the attack and WION can confirm that 30 security personnel were injured. A duty officer at the Rapid Action Battalion's control room in Dhaka said the gun battles had stopped and the hostages were unharmed. "We are discussing ways to rescue the people, including foreigners, who are inside the cafe," police official Mohammad Habibur Rahman said. "Our priority is to rescue them peacefully without the loss of any life". Earlier, Benjir Ahmed, the chief of Bangladesh's special police force, said police were preparing to launch an operation to rescue those being held captive. Ahmed said the attackers had hurled bombs at police. Television footage showed a number of police being led away from the site with blood on their faces and clothes. Heavily armed officers could be seen milling outside. A resident near the scene of the attack told Reuters he could hear sporadic gunfire nearly three hours after the attack began. "It is chaos out there. The streets are blocked. There are dozens of police commandos," said Tarique Mir. Bangladesh has seen an increase in militant violence in the last year-and-a-half, with a series of deadly attacks targeting atheists, gays, liberals, foreigners and members of religious minorities in the mostly Muslim country of 160 million people. They have tended to be assaults on individuals, often using machetes, and the raid on the restaurant was a rare instance of a more coordinated operation. Both Islamic State and al Qaeda have claimed responsibility for many of the killings, although local authorities say there are no operational links between Bangladeshi militants and international jihadi networks. Militants killed two foreigners last year, leading several Western firms involved in the country's $25 billion garment sector to temporarily halt visits to Dhaka. The US State Department said all Americans working at the US mission there had been accounted for. A spokesman said in Washington the situation was "very fluid, very live". President Barack Obama has also been briefed about the attack, the White House said. The German embassy in Dhaka is trying to determine if any German citizens were affected by the attack, a spokesman for the German foreign ministry said late Friday. (Reuters and WION)

Gunmen take over upscale Dhaka restaurant, Islamic State claims responsibility for attack

As diners relaxed for their evening meal on one of the last days of Ramadan, gunmen burst into the restaurant before separating foreigners from locals so they could launch their killing spree. 
 
By the time Bangladeshi commandos stormed Dhaka&#39;s Holey Artisan Bakery 11 hours later, its stone-washed white floors were a sea of blood, strewn with the bodies of foreigners who had been hacked to death. 
 
The Western-style cafe was a popular bolt-hole for expats and locals in the upmarket Gulshan neighbourhood which has long been home to the country&#39;s wealthy elite and many embassies. 
 
&#39;Armed gunmen split hostages into two groups&#39;&nbsp; 
 
On Friday night, Hasnat Karim had brought his family to celebrate his daughter&#39;s birthday. 
 
Hasnat was too traumatised to say more than a few words about his ordeal, saying only that the hostage takers &quot;did not misbehave with us&quot;. 
 
But he detailed to his father Rezaul how the gunmen -- who were armed with automatic weapons, bombs and makeshift machetes -- had split the diners into two groups. 
 
&quot;The foreigners were taken to the upper floor and the Bangladeshis were kept around a table,&quot; said Rezaul Karim. 
 
In the chaos and confusion that erupted at the start, many diners were able to scramble to safety. 
 
One man who escaped told India&#39;s ABP News channel how the gunmen chanted slogans as they forced their way past the sole security guard on the door. 
 
&quot;I rushed to alert others, some people managed to escape from a back route but the rest were trapped,&quot; he said on condition of anonymity. 
 
&quot;They made people stand in a line. There must be about 20-25 staff and about 20-25 guests and then they switched off the lights and CCTV.&quot; 
 
A heavy gunbattle ensued following siege&nbsp; 
 
Bangladesh, where around 90 per cent of the population is Muslim, has just begun a week-long holiday to enjoy the Eid celebrations which accompany the end of Ramadan. 
 
As news of the siege spread, police rushed to the scene and engaged in gunbattles with the hostage takers but they met heavy resistance. 
 
&quot;The hostage takers had automatic weapons and bombs,&quot; said Diego Rossini, an Argentinian chef who escaped into a neighbouring building. 
 
&quot;The hostages, who had escape, were hiding and police were shielding them,&quot; Rossini told Argentina&#39;s television channel C5N. 
 
Rossini managed to escape into a next-door building while under fire. 
 
&quot;I felt bullets pass so close to me, I felt fear like I&#39;ve never felt in my life.&quot; 
 
Images posted by the Islamic State group as they claimed the attack showed two bodies soaked in pools of crimson. 
 
 
Senior army officer recounts scenes of chaos 
 
A senior army officer said that all 20 of the slaughtered civilians were foreigners and nearly all were hacked to death with makeshift machetes. 
 
Several dozen people have been attacked in similar fashion by Islamist extremists in the last two years, mainly members of religious minorities. 
 
A senior officer who was part of the operation which ended the siege on Saturday morning described a gruesome scene inside the cafe. 
 
&quot;We saw blood in many places and were shocked to see the carnage,&quot; he told AFP on condition of anonymity. 
 
&quot;We heard the gang saying Allahu Akbar and there was a slogan written on the wall which said Allah would grant them Jannatul Ferdous (ultimate heaven).&quot; 
 
Among the weapons recovered from the scene were pistols, automatic rifles and sharpened machete-style blades. 
 
Apart from the slain hostages, the bodies of six gunmen were also recovered. 
 
The officer who took part in the storming said the attackers were all men in their early to mid-20s. 
 
&quot;They were wearing sneakers and pants, with multiple pockets where they kept IEDs (improvised explosive devices),&quot; said the source. 
 
 
Condolences pour in from across the world 
 
Popular for its breads and leafy garden, the Holey Artisan Bakery describes itself on Facebook as the &quot;only truly Artisan Bakery Shop between Mumbai and Singapore&quot;, with mouthwatering images of pastries. 
 
The site was deluged Saturday with messages of prayer and concern from local Bangladeshi diners and others around the world. 
 
&quot;Praying for those innocents and may Almighty curse those extremists... they can&#39;t be Muslim. These extremists are monsters,&quot; wrote a Facebook user named Siragis Salekin. 
 
(AFP)

In the chaos and confusion that erupted at the start, many diners were able to scramble to safety

As diners relaxed for their evening meal on one of the last days of Ramadan, gunmen burst into the restaurant before separating foreigners from locals so they could launch their killing spree. By the time Bangladeshi commandos stormed Dhaka's Holey Artisan Bakery 11 hours later, its stone-washed white floors were a sea of blood, strewn with the bodies of foreigners who had been hacked to death. The Western-style cafe was a popular bolt-hole for expats and locals in the upmarket Gulshan neighbourhood which has long been home to the country's wealthy elite and many embassies. 'Armed gunmen split hostages into two groups' On Friday night, Hasnat Karim had brought his family to celebrate his daughter's birthday. Hasnat was too traumatised to say more than a few words about his ordeal, saying only that the hostage takers "did not misbehave with us". But he detailed to his father Rezaul how the gunmen -- who were armed with automatic weapons, bombs and makeshift machetes -- had split the diners into two groups. "The foreigners were taken to the upper floor and the Bangladeshis were kept around a table," said Rezaul Karim. In the chaos and confusion that erupted at the start, many diners were able to scramble to safety. One man who escaped told India's ABP News channel how the gunmen chanted slogans as they forced their way past the sole security guard on the door. "I rushed to alert others, some people managed to escape from a back route but the rest were trapped," he said on condition of anonymity. "They made people stand in a line. There must be about 20-25 staff and about 20-25 guests and then they switched off the lights and CCTV." A heavy gunbattle ensued following siege Bangladesh, where around 90 per cent of the population is Muslim, has just begun a week-long holiday to enjoy the Eid celebrations which accompany the end of Ramadan. As news of the siege spread, police rushed to the scene and engaged in gunbattles with the hostage takers but they met heavy resistance. "The hostage takers had automatic weapons and bombs," said Diego Rossini, an Argentinian chef who escaped into a neighbouring building. "The hostages, who had escape, were hiding and police were shielding them," Rossini told Argentina's television channel C5N. Rossini managed to escape into a next-door building while under fire. "I felt bullets pass so close to me, I felt fear like I've never felt in my life." Images posted by the Islamic State group as they claimed the attack showed two bodies soaked in pools of crimson. Senior army officer recounts scenes of chaos A senior army officer said that all 20 of the slaughtered civilians were foreigners and nearly all were hacked to death with makeshift machetes. Several dozen people have been attacked in similar fashion by Islamist extremists in the last two years, mainly members of religious minorities. A senior officer who was part of the operation which ended the siege on Saturday morning described a gruesome scene inside the cafe. "We saw blood in many places and were shocked to see the carnage," he told AFP on condition of anonymity. "We heard the gang saying Allahu Akbar and there was a slogan written on the wall which said Allah would grant them Jannatul Ferdous (ultimate heaven)." Among the weapons recovered from the scene were pistols, automatic rifles and sharpened machete-style blades. Apart from the slain hostages, the bodies of six gunmen were also recovered. The officer who took part in the storming said the attackers were all men in their early to mid-20s. "They were wearing sneakers and pants, with multiple pockets where they kept IEDs (improvised explosive devices)," said the source. Condolences pour in from across the world Popular for its breads and leafy garden, the Holey Artisan Bakery describes itself on Facebook as the "only truly Artisan Bakery Shop between Mumbai and Singapore", with mouthwatering images of pastries. The site was deluged Saturday with messages of prayer and concern from local Bangladeshi diners and others around the world. "Praying for those innocents and may Almighty curse those extremists... they can't be Muslim. These extremists are monsters," wrote a Facebook user named Siragis Salekin. (AFP)

Diners held hostage in Dhaka tell tales of trauma and survival

The US State Department said on Friday it had accounted for all diplomatic staff at its mission in Bangladesh&#39;s capital Dhaka following an attack by gunmen on a restaurant in the city&#39;s diplomatic quarter. 
 
Spokesman John Kirby, however, could not confirm whether private US citizens were caught up in a &quot;hostage situation&quot;. 
 
It was too early to say who was behind the attack or the motivation of the attackers. 
 
&quot;We have accounted for all Americans working for the chief of mission authority&quot; in Dhaka, Kirby told a press briefing. He said the situation was &quot;very fluid, very live&quot;. 
 
Later he added: &quot;We&#39;re still accounting for private Americans&quot;. 
 
Benjir Ahmed, the chief of Bangladesh&#39;s special police, said several foreigners were among a number of people taken hostage in the restaurant, which is located in a suburb frequented by foreigners and diplomats. 
 
Eight to nine gunmen attacked the restaurant in the Gulshan area of the capital. 
 
The attack comes a day after the State Department designated al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, known as AQIS, as a foreign terrorist organisation. The move would freeze any known assets the organisation, or its leader, Asum Umar, may have in the United States. 
 
The State Department said the organisation had claimed responsibility for the murders of activists and bloggers in Bangladesh, including Xulhaz Mannan, a gay rights activist employed by the US embassy in Dhaka. 
&nbsp; 
(Reuters)

Spokesman John Kirby however could not confirm whether private US citizens were caught up in a 'hostage situation'

The US State Department said on Friday it had accounted for all diplomatic staff at its mission in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka following an attack by gunmen on a restaurant in the city's diplomatic quarter. Spokesman John Kirby, however, could not confirm whether private US citizens were caught up in a "hostage situation". It was too early to say who was behind the attack or the motivation of the attackers. "We have accounted for all Americans working for the chief of mission authority" in Dhaka, Kirby told a press briefing. He said the situation was "very fluid, very live". Later he added: "We're still accounting for private Americans". Benjir Ahmed, the chief of Bangladesh's special police, said several foreigners were among a number of people taken hostage in the restaurant, which is located in a suburb frequented by foreigners and diplomats. Eight to nine gunmen attacked the restaurant in the Gulshan area of the capital. The attack comes a day after the State Department designated al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, known as AQIS, as a foreign terrorist organisation. The move would freeze any known assets the organisation, or its leader, Asum Umar, may have in the United States. The State Department said the organisation had claimed responsibility for the murders of activists and bloggers in Bangladesh, including Xulhaz Mannan, a gay rights activist employed by the US embassy in Dhaka. (Reuters)

All US diplomatic staff accounted for in Dhaka, says State Department

An Indian teenager was among 20 foreigners who were killed after being taken hostage by a group of attackers at an upmarket cafe in Bangladesh capital Dhaka, a government minister said Saturday. 
 
Tarushi Jain, 19, was caught up in the horrific 11-hour siege at the Holey Artisan Bakery, a Western-style cafe popular with foreigners located in the diplomatic quarter of the capital. 
 
&quot;I am extremely pained to share that the terrorists have killed Tarushi, an Indian girl who was taken hostage in the terror attack in Dhaka,&quot; India&#39;s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj posted on Twitter. 
 
Swaraj said she had spoken to the girl&#39;s grief-stricken father and conveyed her condolences to him. 
 
&quot;The country is with them in this hour of grief,&quot; she tweeted. 
 
Jain had finished her schooling from the American School in Dhaka and was pursuing her studies at the University of California, Berkeley, Swaraj added. 
 
WION sources say she was on vacation in Dhaka, where her father has run a garment business for the last 15-20 years. India is assisting family members travelling to Bangladesh. 
 
Sources also revealed that an Indian man, Dr Satyapal, was among the hostages rescued Saturday morning. Being fluent in Bengali, he was able to pass off as Bangladeshi and was safely released Saturday morning.&nbsp; 
 
The Bangladesh army said most of the slain civilians were either Italian or Japanese, and that many had been hacked to death with sharpened weapons. 
 
WION sources said that of the 20 victims, seven to 10 were Italian, and an unconfirmed number include Japanese and South Koreans. Of the people rescued Saturday morning, seven are Bangladeshi and one is an Indian, Dr Satyapal. 
 
In the hospital undergoing treatment are two Sri Lankans, a Japanese and an Italian.&nbsp;Of the terrorists, six have been killed and one was apprehended alive.&nbsp; 
 
About 10-12 Bangladeshi restaurant staff were rescued in the morning, and have been segregated by police for interrogation. 
 
?The Italian embassy is not releasing the identity of the Italian victims at least until their families reach Dhaka. 
 
But another Italian named&nbsp;Jacopo Bioni, a 34-year-old from Verona, managed to escape with an Argentinian chef named Diego Rossini. Rossini moved to Dhaka only in January, and was only working in the restaurant Friday because another Argentinian chef was on leave. 
 
Rossini told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that in the rush to flee he left his mobile phone and wallet in the restaurant, and went on to describe his harrowing escape: 
 
&quot;I was working in the kitchen when a group of Italian friends came. They are wholesalers in clothes, fabrics and garments. And they are usual customers of the restaurant.&nbsp;I went to speak with the Italian fellas sitting there. They asked for a special pasta, so I had to go to the kitchen. Then I heard people shouting and some shooting, and while I tried to get out of the kitchen I saw a young man with an automatic weapon who was walking towards the table where my Italian friends were sitting. So I ran away together with Diego and other colleagues to the opposte direction to the backdoor of the kitchen where there is an emergency stairs that goes to the roof on the second floor. Then they started shooting in our direction and they launched grenades. That was the moment when we decided to jump down from the second floor.&quot; 
 
They reached a nearby building to safety. 
 
India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the attack in a post on Twitter. 
 
&quot;The attack in Dhaka has pained us beyond words. I spoke to (Bangladesh) PM Sheikh Hasina and strongly condemned the despicable attack,&quot; the Prime Minister tweeted.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP and WION)

Amid all the tragedy, an Argentinian chef describes his escape from IS attackers

An Indian teenager was among 20 foreigners who were killed after being taken hostage by a group of attackers at an upmarket cafe in Bangladesh capital Dhaka, a government minister said Saturday. Tarushi Jain, 19, was caught up in the horrific 11-hour siege at the Holey Artisan Bakery, a Western-style cafe popular with foreigners located in the diplomatic quarter of the capital. "I am extremely pained to share that the terrorists have killed Tarushi, an Indian girl who was taken hostage in the terror attack in Dhaka," India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj posted on Twitter. Swaraj said she had spoken to the girl's grief-stricken father and conveyed her condolences to him. "The country is with them in this hour of grief," she tweeted. Jain had finished her schooling from the American School in Dhaka and was pursuing her studies at the University of California, Berkeley, Swaraj added. WION sources say she was on vacation in Dhaka, where her father has run a garment business for the last 15-20 years. India is assisting family members travelling to Bangladesh. Sources also revealed that an Indian man, Dr Satyapal, was among the hostages rescued Saturday morning. Being fluent in Bengali, he was able to pass off as Bangladeshi and was safely released Saturday morning. The Bangladesh army said most of the slain civilians were either Italian or Japanese, and that many had been hacked to death with sharpened weapons. WION sources said that of the 20 victims, seven to 10 were Italian, and an unconfirmed number include Japanese and South Koreans. Of the people rescued Saturday morning, seven are Bangladeshi and one is an Indian, Dr Satyapal. In the hospital undergoing treatment are two Sri Lankans, a Japanese and an Italian. Of the terrorists, six have been killed and one was apprehended alive. About 10-12 Bangladeshi restaurant staff were rescued in the morning, and have been segregated by police for interrogation. ?The Italian embassy is not releasing the identity of the Italian victims at least until their families reach Dhaka. But another Italian named Jacopo Bioni, a 34-year-old from Verona, managed to escape with an Argentinian chef named Diego Rossini. Rossini moved to Dhaka only in January, and was only working in the restaurant Friday because another Argentinian chef was on leave. Rossini told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that in the rush to flee he left his mobile phone and wallet in the restaurant, and went on to describe his harrowing escape: "I was working in the kitchen when a group of Italian friends came. They are wholesalers in clothes, fabrics and garments. And they are usual customers of the restaurant. I went to speak with the Italian fellas sitting there. They asked for a special pasta, so I had to go to the kitchen. Then I heard people shouting and some shooting, and while I tried to get out of the kitchen I saw a young man with an automatic weapon who was walking towards the table where my Italian friends were sitting. So I ran away together with Diego and other colleagues to the opposte direction to the backdoor of the kitchen where there is an emergency stairs that goes to the roof on the second floor. Then they started shooting in our direction and they launched grenades. That was the moment when we decided to jump down from the second floor." They reached a nearby building to safety. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the attack in a post on Twitter. "The attack in Dhaka has pained us beyond words. I spoke to (Bangladesh) PM Sheikh Hasina and strongly condemned the despicable attack," the Prime Minister tweeted. (AFP and WION)

Indian teenager among 20 victims in Dhaka cafe siege

Gunmen attacked a restaurant popular with foreigners in the diplomatic quarter of the Bangladeshi capital on Friday, police and a witness said. 
 
BDNews24.com reported that &quot;At least four injured police officials were seen being transported.&nbsp;One of them looked seriously injured&quot;. 
 
WION can confirm after speaking with Dr. Miraj at the United Hospital in Dhaka, 300 metres from the hostage crisis, that 30 security personnel are being treated after sustaining wounds from grenade shrapnel, as well as bullets.&nbsp; 
 
IS has claimed responsibility for the attack. 
 
So far one employee has managed to escape and there are reports that two hostages have been released, for unknown reasons.&nbsp; 
 
Local reports say seven Italian nationals are among the hostages. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center">
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) stand guard outside the Holey Artisan Bakery Cafe
&mdash; (@DamyEku) <a data-datetime="2016-07-01T23:34:00+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/DamyEku/status/749023372156231680">Jul 02 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
BREAKING: Islamic State claims responsibility for attack on cafe in Bangladesh, says more than 20 people killed: Amaq news agency
&mdash; Reuters Top News (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/748966709042774016">July 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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TIMELINE (local Bangladesh time, GMT +6) 
 
1:50: Reuters reports IS claims responsibility for the attack

1:08 am: Uttara zone Asst Commissioner Robiul Islam dies of bullet injuries 
&nbsp; 
12:39 am: Police try and initiate negotiations with attackers 
&nbsp; 
12:24&nbsp;am: Banani Police Officer-in-Charge Salauddin Khan declared dead 
&nbsp; 
12:06 am: A bakery staffer, Sumon Reza escapes, says an Argentinian &amp; an Italian among hostages 
&nbsp; 
11:50 pm: Dhaka airport closed 
&nbsp; 
11:35 pm:&nbsp;B&rsquo;desh&nbsp;RAB chief Benzir Ahmed urges&nbsp;TV channels not to live telecast&nbsp;hostage situation 
&nbsp; 
11:30&nbsp;pm: People&nbsp;report hearing shouts of&nbsp;Allah-hu-Akbar&nbsp;immediately&nbsp;before&nbsp;hearing&nbsp;several blasts 
&nbsp; 
10:30&nbsp;pm: US State&nbsp;Department&nbsp;Twitter account&nbsp;declares&nbsp;hostage situation in Dhaka 
&nbsp; 
8:45&nbsp;pm: Multiple&nbsp;attackers&nbsp;enter Holey Artisan Bakery&nbsp;in Gulshan-2 diplomatic area in Dhaka, Bangaldesh; start firing

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GulshanAttack?src=hash">#GulshanAttack</a>: At 1:08am, assistant commissioner of Uttara zone Detective Branch killed in the shooting, top police officials confirm
&mdash; The Daily Star (@dailystarnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/dailystarnews/status/748957529489698816">July 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Locals have taken to social media to share pictures and to describe what they know. Their reports cannot be verified by WION. 
 
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The witness said from his house in the upscale Gulshan area of Dhaka he could hear gunfire and it &quot;looked quite bad&quot;. The US Embassy in Dhaka said on its Twitter feed there were &quot;reports of shooting and hostage situation&quot;. 
 
 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hostage?src=hash">#Hostage</a> situation in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dhaka?src=hash">#Dhaka</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Terrorist?src=hash">#Terrorist</a> targeted <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/restaurant?src=hash">#restaurant</a> popular among foreigners in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bangladesh?src=hash">#Bangladesh</a>. <a href="https://t.co/zt2zqgjP30">pic.twitter.com/zt2zqgjP30</a>
&mdash; Rudolf (@poljski_navijac) <a href="https://twitter.com/poljski_navijac/status/748921560589754368">July 1, 2016</a></blockquote>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
10 attackers take around 60 hostages, 20 foreigners included, at a restaurant in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dhaka?src=hash">#Dhaka</a>. RAB director says they want a `peaceful resolution`
&mdash; Ziaur Rashid (@smziaurrashid) <a href="https://twitter.com/smziaurrashid/status/748937803354877953">July 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dhaka?src=hash">#Dhaka</a>: Somoy News reports Banani Thana Police OC Salauddin died. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bangladesh?src=hash">#Bangladesh</a>
&mdash; Ziaur Rashid (@smziaurrashid) <a href="https://twitter.com/smziaurrashid/status/748940224529469440">July 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The US state department has issued an update about the hostage situation: 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/statedeptspox">@statedeptspox</a> Kirby provides update on apparent hostage situation in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dhaka?src=hash">#Dhaka</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bangladesh?src=hash">#Bangladesh</a> <a href="https://t.co/CgwWuU2aUl">https://t.co/CgwWuU2aUl</a>
&mdash; Department of State (@StateDept) <a href="https://twitter.com/StateDept/status/748932806126907392">July 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Breaking : Islamic attack on restaurant in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dhaka?src=hash">#Dhaka</a> terrorist shouting allah hu akbar 
20 hostages mostly foreigners <a href="https://t.co/aQHrShQ8Hs">pic.twitter.com/aQHrShQ8Hs</a>
&mdash; Ravi Singh (@RealRavii) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealRavii/status/748939947839623168">July 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
Bangladesh has seen a series of attacks, mostly using machetes, targeting bloggers, atheists and religious minorities. 
 
(Reuters and WION)

This is still developing: 30 security officers hospitalised; 2 dead, many treated for grenade shrapnel wounds

Gunmen attacked a restaurant popular with foreigners in the diplomatic quarter of the Bangladeshi capital on Friday, police and a witness said. BDNews24.com reported that "At least four injured police officials were seen being transported. One of them looked seriously injured". WION can confirm after speaking with Dr. Miraj at the United Hospital in Dhaka, 300 metres from the hostage crisis, that 30 security personnel are being treated after sustaining wounds from grenade shrapnel, as well as bullets. IS has claimed responsibility for the attack. So far one employee has managed to escape and there are reports that two hostages have been released, for unknown reasons. Local reports say seven Italian nationals are among the hostages. Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) stand guard outside the Holey Artisan Bakery Cafe — (@DamyEku) Jul 02 2016 BREAKING: Islamic State claims responsibility for attack on cafe in Bangladesh, says more than 20 people killed: Amaq news agency — Reuters Top News (@Reuters) July 1, 2016 TIMELINE (local Bangladesh time, GMT +6) 1:50: Reuters reports IS claims responsibility for the attack 1:08 am: Uttara zone Asst Commissioner Robiul Islam dies of bullet injuries 12:39 am: Police try and initiate negotiations with attackers 12:24 am: Banani Police Officer-in-Charge Salauddin Khan declared dead 12:06 am: A bakery staffer, Sumon Reza escapes, says an Argentinian & an Italian among hostages 11:50 pm: Dhaka airport closed 11:35 pm: B’desh RAB chief Benzir Ahmed urges TV channels not to live telecast hostage situation 11:30 pm: People report hearing shouts of Allah-hu-Akbar immediately before hearing several blasts 10:30 pm: US State Department Twitter account declares hostage situation in Dhaka 8:45 pm: Multiple attackers enter Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan-2 diplomatic area in Dhaka, Bangaldesh; start firing #GulshanAttack: At 1:08am, assistant commissioner of Uttara zone Detective Branch killed in the shooting, top police officials confirm — The Daily Star (@dailystarnews) July 1, 2016 Locals have taken to social media to share pictures and to describe what they know. Their reports cannot be verified by WION. The witness said from his house in the upscale Gulshan area of Dhaka he could hear gunfire and it "looked quite bad". The US Embassy in Dhaka said on its Twitter feed there were "reports of shooting and hostage situation". #Hostage situation in #Dhaka. #Terrorist targeted #restaurant popular among foreigners in #Bangladesh. pic.twitter.com/zt2zqgjP30 — Rudolf (@poljski_navijac) July 1, 2016 10 attackers take around 60 hostages, 20 foreigners included, at a restaurant in #Dhaka. RAB director says they want a `peaceful resolution` — Ziaur Rashid (@smziaurrashid) July 1, 2016 #Dhaka: Somoy News reports Banani Thana Police OC Salauddin died. #Bangladesh — Ziaur Rashid (@smziaurrashid) July 1, 2016 The US state department has issued an update about the hostage situation: .@statedeptspox Kirby provides update on apparent hostage situation in #Dhaka, #Bangladesh https://t.co/CgwWuU2aUl — Department of State (@StateDept) July 1, 2016 Breaking : Islamic attack on restaurant in #Dhaka terrorist shouting allah hu akbar 20 hostages mostly foreigners pic.twitter.com/aQHrShQ8Hs — Ravi Singh (@RealRavii) July 1, 2016 Bangladesh has seen a series of attacks, mostly using machetes, targeting bloggers, atheists and religious minorities. (Reuters and WION)

IS hostage standoff in Dhaka continues

In the latest update coming in from United Hospital in Dhaka, 30 security personnel were brought in for treatment following the attack this evening. Duty manager at the United Hospital, Dr Miraj, speaking exclusively to WION, has confirmed that two security personnel who were brought to the hospital have now been declared dead. 
 
According to Dr Miraj, the men brought in had suffered severe shrapnel injuries sustained in grenade attacks at the Holey Artisan Bakery. 
The most severe injuries being reported by medical staff at the United Hospital were caused by shrapnel from grenade attacks during the exchange of fire between the IS attackers and security personnel. 
 
The United Hospital is located barely 300 metres from the Holey Artisan Bakery in the Gulshan-2 diplomatic enclave in Dhaka. The embassies and High Commissions of Malaysia, Romania, Australia, Pakistan, Canada, and Russia are among those that are in this high security zone where the bakery is situated. 
 
No civilians have so far been brought to the United Hospital for treatment from the scene of the attack. 
 
(WION)

So far, no civilians have been brought to the United Hospital for treatment from the scene of the attack

In the latest update coming in from United Hospital in Dhaka, 30 security personnel were brought in for treatment following the attack this evening. Duty manager at the United Hospital, Dr Miraj, speaking exclusively to WION, has confirmed that two security personnel who were brought to the hospital have now been declared dead. According to Dr Miraj, the men brought in had suffered severe shrapnel injuries sustained in grenade attacks at the Holey Artisan Bakery. The most severe injuries being reported by medical staff at the United Hospital were caused by shrapnel from grenade attacks during the exchange of fire between the IS attackers and security personnel. The United Hospital is located barely 300 metres from the Holey Artisan Bakery in the Gulshan-2 diplomatic enclave in Dhaka. The embassies and High Commissions of Malaysia, Romania, Australia, Pakistan, Canada, and Russia are among those that are in this high security zone where the bakery is situated. No civilians have so far been brought to the United Hospital for treatment from the scene of the attack. (WION)

Exclusive: Doctor 300 metres away from Dhaka standoff speaks to WION

Protesters in Dhaka formed a 10-kilometre human chain in a demonstration on Sunday protesting against secret killings and attacks on members of minority religions around Bangladesh. 
 
The protesters, including members of the 14-party alliance led by the ruling Awami League Party, held banners and chanted slogans following the attacks which were claimed by Islamic State or al Qaeda groups, despite the government denying that either has a presence in Bangladesh, a majority Muslim country of 160 million. 
 
Christian shopkeeper Sunil Gomez from Natore, Hindu priest Ananda Gopal Ganguly from Jhenaidah district, and Nitya Ranjan Pandey, a Hindu monastery worker from Pabna, were killed in attacks claimed by Islamic State in just one week earlier in June. 
 
Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, the wife of a prominent anti-terror police officer, was also stabbed and shot to death in an apparently targeted killing in the coastal Bangladeshi city of Chittagong. Her husband, police superintendent Babul Akter, had led high-profile operations against the banned Islamist group Jama&#39;atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). 
 
&quot;Recently there are secret killings by the militants all over the country. They are killing the religious minority, they are attacking priests of the different religions. At this moment we, all the supporters of the 14 party alliances and pro-liberation front, those who fight for liberation of Bangladesh today, form a human chain protesting against the secret killing and militants all over the country,&quot; said Member of Parliament Shirin Akhtar at the protest. 
 
The demonstration came a day after a suspected Islamist militant was killed on Saturday in a shootout in Bangladesh after he critically wounded a Hindu college teacher in the latest attack on minority groups. 
 
Ghulam Faijullaha Fahim, 19, who was in police custody, was shot when officers took him with them to help capture his associates, police said. Mathematics teacher Ripon Chakraborty was attacked by Fahim and two other knife-wielding assailants when he answered the doorbell at his home in Madaripur on June 15. 
 
At least 11 suspected militants have been killed in shootouts since November, including five earlier this month, as the authorities step up a hunt for Islamists to stop a wave of deadly attacks. 
 
Militants have killed more than 30 people since early last year, ranging from atheist bloggers and liberal academics to gay rights campaigners, foreign aid workers, members of minority Muslim sects and other religious groups. 
 
Hindus and Christians make up about 10 per cent of Bangladesh&#39;s 160 million population. 
(Reuters)

Militants have killed over 30 people since early last year, ranging from atheist bloggers to liberal academics and gay rights campaigners

Protesters in Dhaka formed a 10-kilometre human chain in a demonstration on Sunday protesting against secret killings and attacks on members of minority religions around Bangladesh. The protesters, including members of the 14-party alliance led by the ruling Awami League Party, held banners and chanted slogans following the attacks which were claimed by Islamic State or al Qaeda groups, despite the government denying that either has a presence in Bangladesh, a majority Muslim country of 160 million. Christian shopkeeper Sunil Gomez from Natore, Hindu priest Ananda Gopal Ganguly from Jhenaidah district, and Nitya Ranjan Pandey, a Hindu monastery worker from Pabna, were killed in attacks claimed by Islamic State in just one week earlier in June. Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, the wife of a prominent anti-terror police officer, was also stabbed and shot to death in an apparently targeted killing in the coastal Bangladeshi city of Chittagong. Her husband, police superintendent Babul Akter, had led high-profile operations against the banned Islamist group Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). "Recently there are secret killings by the militants all over the country. They are killing the religious minority, they are attacking priests of the different religions. At this moment we, all the supporters of the 14 party alliances and pro-liberation front, those who fight for liberation of Bangladesh today, form a human chain protesting against the secret killing and militants all over the country," said Member of Parliament Shirin Akhtar at the protest. The demonstration came a day after a suspected Islamist militant was killed on Saturday in a shootout in Bangladesh after he critically wounded a Hindu college teacher in the latest attack on minority groups. Ghulam Faijullaha Fahim, 19, who was in police custody, was shot when officers took him with them to help capture his associates, police said. Mathematics teacher Ripon Chakraborty was attacked by Fahim and two other knife-wielding assailants when he answered the doorbell at his home in Madaripur on June 15. At least 11 suspected militants have been killed in shootouts since November, including five earlier this month, as the authorities step up a hunt for Islamists to stop a wave of deadly attacks. Militants have killed more than 30 people since early last year, ranging from atheist bloggers and liberal academics to gay rights campaigners, foreign aid workers, members of minority Muslim sects and other religious groups. Hindus and Christians make up about 10 per cent of Bangladesh's 160 million population. (Reuters)

Bangladesh: 10-kilometre human chain protesting against attacks on minorities

Unidentified attackers hacked a 62-year-old Hindu monastery worker to death in Bangladesh&#39;s Pabna district on Friday, police said, the latest in a series of such attacks on religious minorities in the mainly Muslim country. 
 
The latest murder came as Bangladeshi police announced a special week-long crackdown on militants as they ramp up their efforts to stem the killings with five members of a banned Islamist outfit killed in gunbattles with officers in the past three days. 
 
Nityaranjan Pande was taking his regular early morning walk when the attackers set upon him, killing him on the spot, police said. 
 
&quot;As a diabetic, everyday he walks early in the morning. Today as he was walking, several attackers hacked him in the neck. He died on the spot,&quot; local police station chief Abdullah Al-Hasan told AFP. 
 
&quot;He had been working at the monastery for about 40 years. In recent years he was the head of its office staff,&quot; he said. 
 
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. 
 
The head of police in the northwestern district of Pabna, where the Shri Shri Thakur Anukulchandra Ashram is located, said the killing bore the hallmarks of recent attacks by Islamist extremists on minorities and secular activists. 
 
&quot;There was no eye-witness to the attack as it happened very early in the morning,&quot; Alamgir Kabir told AFP. 
 
Bangladesh is reeling from a wave of murders of secular and liberal activists and religious minorities that have left nearly 50 people dead in the past three years. 
 
Police crackdown 
 
The murders have spiked in recent weeks with a gruesome wave of killings that has spanned from the capital Dhaka to remote parts of the north and coastal south. 
 
In the past week alone, an elderly Hindu priest was found nearly decapitated in a rice field, a Christian grocer was hacked to death near a church, while the wife of an anti-terrorism officer was found stabbed and shot. 
 
Her husband had led several high-profile operations against the banned Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), an Islamist militant group, in the southeastern city of Chittagong. 
 
Most of the latest attacks have been claimed either by the Islamic State group or by a South Asian branch of Al-Qaeda 
 
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina&#39;s government has, however, blamed homegrown Islamists for the attacks, rejecting claims of responsibility from IS and Al-Qaeda. 
 
The JMB is one of the main domestic militant outfits in the frame for the murders with police shooting dead five members of the group since Tuesday. 
 
Shahidul Hoque, inspector general of police, vowed in an address to a meeting of top police officials in Dhaka Thursday that those involved in the killing of the police officer&#39;s wife would be &quot;brought to justice very soon&quot;. 
 
Experts say a government crackdown on opponents, including a ban on Bangladesh&#39;s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, following a protracted political crisis, has pushed many towards extremism. 
 
Victims of the attacks by suspected Islamists have included secular bloggers, gay rights activists and followers of minority religions. 
 
Although it is officially secular, about 90 per cent of Bangladesh&#39;s 160 million-strong population is Muslim. Some eight per cent of the population is Hindu.

The 62-year-old was attacked during his early morning walk by unidentified assailants

Unidentified attackers hacked a 62-year-old Hindu monastery worker to death in Bangladesh's Pabna district on Friday, police said, the latest in a series of such attacks on religious minorities in the mainly Muslim country. The latest murder came as Bangladeshi police announced a special week-long crackdown on militants as they ramp up their efforts to stem the killings with five members of a banned Islamist outfit killed in gunbattles with officers in the past three days. Nityaranjan Pande was taking his regular early morning walk when the attackers set upon him, killing him on the spot, police said. "As a diabetic, everyday he walks early in the morning. Today as he was walking, several attackers hacked him in the neck. He died on the spot," local police station chief Abdullah Al-Hasan told AFP. "He had been working at the monastery for about 40 years. In recent years he was the head of its office staff," he said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The head of police in the northwestern district of Pabna, where the Shri Shri Thakur Anukulchandra Ashram is located, said the killing bore the hallmarks of recent attacks by Islamist extremists on minorities and secular activists. "There was no eye-witness to the attack as it happened very early in the morning," Alamgir Kabir told AFP. Bangladesh is reeling from a wave of murders of secular and liberal activists and religious minorities that have left nearly 50 people dead in the past three years. Police crackdown The murders have spiked in recent weeks with a gruesome wave of killings that has spanned from the capital Dhaka to remote parts of the north and coastal south. In the past week alone, an elderly Hindu priest was found nearly decapitated in a rice field, a Christian grocer was hacked to death near a church, while the wife of an anti-terrorism officer was found stabbed and shot. Her husband had led several high-profile operations against the banned Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), an Islamist militant group, in the southeastern city of Chittagong. Most of the latest attacks have been claimed either by the Islamic State group or by a South Asian branch of Al-Qaeda Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government has, however, blamed homegrown Islamists for the attacks, rejecting claims of responsibility from IS and Al-Qaeda. The JMB is one of the main domestic militant outfits in the frame for the murders with police shooting dead five members of the group since Tuesday. Shahidul Hoque, inspector general of police, vowed in an address to a meeting of top police officials in Dhaka Thursday that those involved in the killing of the police officer's wife would be "brought to justice very soon". Experts say a government crackdown on opponents, including a ban on Bangladesh's largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, following a protracted political crisis, has pushed many towards extremism. Victims of the attacks by suspected Islamists have included secular bloggers, gay rights activists and followers of minority religions. Although it is officially secular, about 90 per cent of Bangladesh's 160 million-strong population is Muslim. Some eight per cent of the population is Hindu.

Hindu monastery worker hacked to death in Bangladesh

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