PM Hasina’s achievements in curbing religious extremists and militancy
Today, the 30th of October 2023, the High Court made a decision to commute the death sentences of seven accused individuals involved in the Holy Artisan Bakery attack to life imprisonment. This trial outcome was made possible under the current government’s administration.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been a pivotal figure in various areas, enhancing societal awareness in the fight against militancy. Consequently, her actions have transformed Bangladesh into a state free from militancy.
Sheikh Hasina stands as a globally esteemed politician, admired for her remarkable competence, visionary insight, and strong leadership. Her exceptional courage and efficiency in governing the nation set her apart. Under her visionary guidance, she has earned international acclaim as a champion of global peace and a humanitarian, thanks to her successful efforts in eliminating terrorism and militancy in Bangladesh.
Case in Brief
An HC bench of Justice Shahidul Karim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman delivered the verdict on Monday (30 October 2023).
The accused who got life imprisonment are:
- Jahangir Hossain alias Rajiv Gandhi,
- Aslam Hossain alias Rash,
- Abdus Sabur Khan,
- Rakibul Hasan Reagan,
- Hadisur Rahman,
- Shariful Islam alias Khaled and
- Mamunur Rashid.
Earlier, after the hearing on 11 October, the court set 30 October as the date of delivering the verdict.
On 27 November 2019, an Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal in Dhaka had sentenced eight members of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh to death for their role in the attack, while one accused was acquitted.
On Jul 1, 2016, a group of five young militants captured into the Holey Artisan Bakery restaurant in the Gulshan area of the capital, brandishing pistols, submachine guns, and sharp weapons.
Casualties
Twenty-two civilians, including nine Italian citizens, along with five terrorists, were confirmed dead in the tragic incident, and 50 others, primarily police personnel, sustained injuries. Notably, two police officers, Assistant Commissioner Rabiul Islam of the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Officer-in-Charge Salahuddin Ahmed of the nearby Banani police station, were among the deceased.
Initially, the Bangladesh Army reported that all 20 hostages who lost their lives in the attack were foreigners and had been subjected to brutal violence with sharp weapons by the perpetrators.
Tragically, the casualties included seven Japanese citizens, comprising five men and two women, all associated with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). One of the women was pregnant at the time of the attack. Additionally, Tarishi Jain, a 19-year-old female student of the University of California, Berkeley, of Indian nationality, also lost her life in this distressing incident.
The dead included:
- Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain (Bangladeshi)
- Ishrat Akhond (Bangladeshi)
- Rabiul Karim (Bangladeshi)
- Salauddin Khan (Bangladeshi)
- Saiful Islam Chowkidar (Bangladeshi)
- Zakir Hossain Shaon (Bangladeshi)
- Abinta Kabir (Bangladeshi)
- Cristian Rossi (Italian)
- Marco Tondat (Italian)
- Nadia Benedetti (Italian)
- Adele Puglisi (Italian)
- Simona Monti (Italian)
- Claudia Maria D’Antona (Italian)
- Vincenzo D’Allestro (Italian)
- Maria Rivoli (Italian)
- Claudio Cappelli (Italian)
- Hideki Hashimoto (Japanese)
- Nobuhiro Kurosaki (Japanese)
- Koyo Ogasawara (Japanese)
- Makoto Okamura (Japanese)
- Yuko Sakai (Japanese)
- Rui Shimodaira (Japanese)
- Hiroshi Tanaka (Japanese)
- Tarishi Jain (Indian)
The five terrorists who died during rescue operation by military and joint forces are:
- Nibras Islam
- Rohan Imtiaz
- Meer Saameh Mubasheer
- Khairul Islam
- Shafiqul Islam
The attack on the cafe
In the year 2014, following the Awami League government’s third-term victory, the road ahead was far from smooth. The entire country was marred by a series of tumultuous events. The opposition party at the time, BNP-Jamaat, engaged in highly inflammatory politics, leading to a prolonged period of unrest. Meanwhile, the government was occupied with the arduous task of managing the nation and quelling the rise of militancy.
Then, a horrifying incident unfolded in Bangladesh, one that seemed straight out of a movie – a chilling and brutal event that no one could have fathomed occurring in the country. The entire Bengali nation was left in shock and disbelief. On July 1, 2016, a historical tragedy took place in Banani, the capital city, akin to a gripping drama. The mastermind behind this incident was none other than anti-government political malevolence.
