Dhaka terrorist attack won’t hurt Bangladesh’s ties with Japan, Italy, says minister

The bloody Dhaka cafe siege that left nine Italians and seven Japanese dead will not harm Bangladesh’s relations with these countries, their ministers have said.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said he spoke to his Japanese counterpart Seiji Kihara during the memorial service for the victims at the Army Stadium on Monday and with Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Mario Giro during a visit to the attack site on Tuesday.

The slaughtered Italians were involved with Bangladesh’s garment industry while the Japanese victims with Metrorail project.

Alam said he told Kihara that Japan was a friend on whom Bangladesh depends.

“The people of Bangladesh always have the people of Japan as useful friends. Bangladesh has never forgotten Japan’s role in its journey towards development,” he had told Kihara.

Alam said he also told Kihara that the two countries could not surrender to terrorism when the Bangladesh-Japan relations were about to enter a new era.

In reaction to his comments, the Japanese minister said the blood of Bangladeshis and Japanese citizens mixed up in the attack on the cafe.

“Sacrifices of innocent citizens will strengthen the ties between the two countries,” he quoted Kihara as saying.

Three Bangladeshi hostages were killed in the attack. The militants also killed two policemen in an initial assault.

“He (Kihara) has also reassured me of Japanese help in development of Bangladesh,” Alam said.

Italy Deputy Foreign Minister Giro said the incident would inspire the two countries to work together.

“He said terrorism cannot hinder the ties between two countries,” Alam said.

“He also said Bangladesh experienced such an incident for the first time. He said Italy will closely work with Bangladesh through bilateral cooperation and the sharing of intelligence so that Bangladesh will not face terrorism constantly like other Muslim countries,” he added.