‘Gather strength from loss’

Italy will jointly combat terror with Bangladesh, the country’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Mario Giro has said.

He visited the Gulshan cafe where nine Italians were among the 20 victims slaughtered by Islamist gunmen in what was Bangladesh’s worst ever terror crisis.   

Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, who held a meeting with Giro before the visit, accompanied the entourage to the Holey Artisan Bakery and O’ Kitchen on Tuesday morning. 

The Italian victims

Nadia Beenidetti, Vincenzo D'Allestro, Claudia Maria D'Antona, Simona Monti, Maria Riboli, Adele Puglisi, Claudio Cappelli, Christian Rossi and Marco Tondat  

 

Loss should strengthen us was the message conveyed by officials from both countries. 

“Italy and Bangladesh will work together to combat terror. We will be united in our stance against global militancy,” Giro told reporters outside the bakery.

“We feel devastated,” said Alam about the meeting with his Italian counterpart.

“But we want to emerge from this ordeal stronger than before. We are ready to fight terror together and uphold democracy.”

“This shared loss will deepen our ties and cooperation will increase. Together we will win the battle against terror.”