Khaleda sends condolence messages to Obama, PMs of Italy, Japan and India after Dhaka terror attack

Khaleda Zia has sent condolence messages to the US president and the prime ministers of Italy, Japan and India after these four countries lost their citizens to the attack on Gulshan cafe by terrorists.

The former prime minister's Adviser Sabih Uddin Ahmed on Tuesday told bdnews24.com the messages were sent through their embassies in Dhaka.

"The BNP chairperson condemned the attack and extended condolences over the deaths of the foreigners in her separate messages to US President Barack Obama, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.

On the night of Jul 1, Holey Artisan Bakery and O’ Kitchen restaurant in Gulshan-2 came under attack by a group of militants. They had taken at least 33 hostages, including foreigners, and killed two police officers, who had tried to end the siege.

Twelve hours later, on Saturday, army commandos stormed the eatery, popular with foreigners and expatriate Bangladeshis, and rescued 13 hostages.

The army said 20 hostages were found dead on the premises. They included nine from Italy, seven from Japan, an Indian citizen and three Bangladeshis, one of whom was a naturalised US citizen.

After the first deadliest terror attack of its kind in Dhaka, Modi had called his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina and promised support in fighting off militancy and terrorism.

US Secretary of State John Kerry also called Hasina, on behalf of Obama, and said Washington was ready to provide Dhaka with 'all kinds of assistance' to combat terror.