Bangladesh to take assistance from foreign countries to tackle terrorism

Bangladesh will take assistance from ‘neighbouring and friendly nations’ in dealing with terrorism, the home minister has said after the deadliest terror attack in Dhaka.

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal read out a written statement to reporters on Tuesday, briefing them three days after the siege of an upscale Gulshan cafe by young gunmen ended in bloodbath.

The attackers had slaughtered 20 inside the restaurant, including 17 foreign nationals from Italy, Japan and India. Two police officers were killed in an explosion when the terrorists repelled an early attack by security forces.

Extremists are luring ‘innocent and educated’ youths of Bangladesh towards death, Kamal said.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam sat next to the home minister. Neither of them took questions from the reporters in the ministry’s meeting hall.

The commandos who stormed into Holey Artisan Bakery and O’ Kitchen to end the hostage situation, releasing 13 captives, had taken out six persons but only five were actually terrorists, Kamal said.

“The dead gunmen are all Bangladeshis who belong to various militant groups.”

He was, however, unclear about how many were being held as suspects. When a reporter asked, he said, “That can’t be said without verification.”

“There has to be a social movement involving everyone in the country,” he said reading the statement.

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal

The attack, unprecedented in the country and reportedly claimed by Middle East-based militant group Islamic State, has rattled the nation preparing to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr from Thursday following the month of Ramadan.

The home minister said, "The government is determined to stop militancy. We are seeking all necessary support from all our neighbouring and friendly nations and we will accept it."

Top officials have confirmed that a friendly nation has already started assisting in the investigation into the attack.

Earlier on Tuesday, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali also hoped that Bangladesh will receive support from the global community in its fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

Briefing the Dhaka-based diplomats and representatives of international agencies, he said terrorism was now a global challenge and that Dhaka will continue to work 'closely' with other countries, regional bodies and the UN to fight off the menace.

Home Minster Kamal at the media briefing said Islam, being the religion of peace, never supports the killing of the innocent.

The militant groups were only using the 'innocent' youths in the name of Islam to gain grounds in 'their lowly cause', he said.

Italy's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Mario Giro, visited the Gulshan-2 cafe on Tuesday morning, said his country will work together with  Bangladesh to combat terror. 

"We will be united in our stance against global militancy,” Giro told reporters outside the bakery.
 
State Minister Alam, who had accompanied Giro and his entourage, there told reporters, “We want to emerge from this ordeal stronger than before. We are ready to fight terror together.”