Japan plane flies off with bodies of its nationals killed in Dhaka terrorist attack

A special aircraft carrying the bodies of the seven Japanese victims of the Dhaka cafe massacre has started for Japan.

The Japanese plane took off Shahjalal International Airport at 8:40pm on Monday, Armed Police Battalion official Md Anisuzzaman said.

The nationals of the Far Eastern country had been working as consultants for the Dhaka Metrorail project.

They were killed along with nine Italians, an Indian and three Bangladeshis, including one with a US passport, at a cafe in Dhaka’s diplomatic heart of Gulshan after gunmen took them hostage on Friday evening.

Two police officers had also died in grenades charged by the militants, who shouted “Allahu Akbar” while beginning the siege. Middle East-based radical group Islamic State has reportedly claimed credit for the attack.

Security forces stormed the cafe on Saturday morning and freed 13 hostages, killing six attackers and capturing another one.

Bangladesh saw the murder of another Japanese national last year.

The killings of the Japanese have outraged the people of their country, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“All of those who lost their lives had gone to Bangladesh in the spirit of wanting to work for the good of that country,” he said on Sunday.

Abe vowed to continue to take all possible preparations to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens both at home and abroad.