Diplomats honour victims of Holey Artisan attack on seventh anniversary

On the occasion of the seventh anniversary of the Holey Artisan Bakery attack, Italy, Japan, India, the United States, and Bangladesh on Saturday remembered and honoured those whose lives were tragically lost on July 1, 2016 during a terrorist attack in Dhaka's Gulshan area.

A memorial plaque was inaugurated at the Italian Embassy in Dhaka on the occasion.

Representatives of the four missions in Dhaka, including Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma, and CDA at the US Embassy, paid homage to the lives lost in the dastardly terror attack in Dhaka's Holey Artisan Bakery on this day seven years ago.

While paying his respects, Indian High Commissioner Verma said that it is a day of remembrance for all the victims who remain in their prayers.

"As a close friend and partner of Bangladesh, we fully share the grief and trauma brought by that barbaric and inhuman incident," he said.

"Such attacks only make our resolve stronger to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and our belief more firm that no reason can justify an act of terror," said the Indian High Commissioner.

He expressed India's commitment to prevent the recurrence of such incidents through closer collaborative efforts.

Director General (South East Asia wing) Md. Najmul Huda, representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), placed a wreath and observed a minute's silence at the site on Saturday, marking the anniversary.

In his brief remarks, the MoFA official paid deep respect to the memory of the Holey Artisan attack victims and reiterated the unswerving commitment of the Bangladesh government's zero tolerance to terrorism.

He also thanked Italy, Japan, and India for their continued and steadfast support of Bangladesh's developmental strides.