Source of firearms used in Gulshan cafe, Sholakia Eidgah attacks traced, says Bangladesh Police chief

The source of firearms used in the Gulshan cafe and Sholakia Eid ground terror attacks has been traced, says the Bangladesh Police chief.

“We have traced the source and confirmed the identities of some of the masterminds behind the Gulshan attack,” Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque said on Monday.

But he refused to disclose details for ‘the sake of the investigations’ while speaking at an event at the Police Staff College.

On the night of Jul 1, gunmen barged into the Holey Artisan Bakery and O’ Kitchen Restaurant in the upscale Dhaka neighbourhood, taking guests hostage.

The terrorists killed 20 hostages, 17 among them foreigners, before army commandos stormed the cafe early next morning, rescuing 13 people.

Six men, including five attackers were killed in the raid.

Officials said the cafe killers had used an AK-22 semi-automatic assault rifle, 9mm pistols, improvised explosive devices (IED), and sharp weapons like machetes.

Five days after the Gulshan incident, another attack was mounted, this time on Jul 7, moments before the Eid prayers at the Sholakia Eidgah grounds in Kishoreganj.

Two policemen were killed in the bomb attack. While the law enforcers gunned down one of the attackers, a stray bullet had killed a woman in a nearby house during the exchange of fire.

Police said that 9mm pistols and IEDs were used in the attack. Sharp weapons were later found near the spot.

Families of the attackers, killed in the two incidents, have said they had been missing for several months.

The government and parents are now concerned over students going missing, as it has emerged that some of those involved in recent militant attacks belonged to well-off families and studied at reputed institutions.

Elite police unit, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), released lists of missing persons in three phases. The first list featured 10, the second list seven and the last 261 persons.

On Monday, IGP Shahidul Hoque said the lists were being scrutinised. “It’s not that all of those who are missing are militants, there might be other reasons.”