India stands by Bangladesh at this difficult hour, President Pranab Mukherjee

President Pranab Mukherjee has said that the people of India stand by the people of Bangladesh at this difficult hour as he condemned the Dhaka terrorist attack and hailed rescue operations.

The deadly terror attack at a Dhaka café on Friday night left at least 17 foreigners including an Indian, and five Bangladeshis, including two officers, killed.
 
The overnight hostage drama, the first in Bangladesh’s history, ended on Saturday morning after an hour-long operation by army commandos. Six terrorists were killed and another was arrested.
   
The so-called Islamic State has reportedly claimed responsibility for the brutal attack and published photos of the gunmen on its website.
  
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced two days of national mourning from Sunday and appealed to Bangladeshis to keep faith in her government.
  
The Indian President wrote to his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Hamid on Saturday that he received the news with “sorrow”.
  
“Although I was greatly relieved to hear, a short while ago, that a number of hostages have been rescued due to the successful efforts of your government’s security forces, I am deeply saddened at the loss of life and injuries caused to innocent civilians in this dastardly attack.
 
 “India condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We believe that there can be no justification for such senseless acts of violence.
 
“The people of India stand by the people of Bangladesh at this difficult hour and share their grief. We pray for the victims and their families and for the full and speedy recovery of those who have been injured,” he said.
 
Earlier, Indian premiere Narendra Modi phoned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and pledged to stand by Bangladesh in this dark hour.