'New Delhi to work shoulder to shoulder with Dhaka to fight terrorism'

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday strongly denounced the cowardly terrorist attack on a Gulshan cafe and said that New Delhi would work "shoulder to shoulder" with Dhaka against terrorism and protect societies from the threat of violence.

"India stands firmly with Bangladesh in this hour of grief and would work "shoulder to shoulder" with Dhaka against terrorism and protect societies from the threat of ideologies of hate, violence and terror," she said in a message sent to Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali.

Sushma Swaraj put emphasis on adopting a zero tolerance policy and a comprehensive approach to combat terrorism.

"We need to adopt zero tolerance policy and a comprehensive approach in fighting terrorism at all levels," she said.

The Indian external affairs minister said she is extremely pained at the loss of lives in the cowardly terrorist attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan on July 1.

"On behalf of the Indian government, I strongly condemn this attack and convey our heartfelt empathy and condolences to those who have lost their loved ones and wish those injured a speedy recovery," she added. 

She said it's especially unfortunate that such mindless violence should be perpetrated during the holy month of Ramadan when the minds of true believers would be turned into spiritual pursuits. "This has shown us that terrorism has no religion and no faith," she said.

Sushma Swaraj expressed her firm confidence that the government of Bangladesh will do its utmost to bring those responsible for this cowardly attack to justice so that such attacks are not repeated in future.

Twenty hostages were brutally killed during the siege at Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan on July 1 before the commandoes stormed the cafe the next morning. 

Of the civilian victims, nine were Italian citizens, seven Japanese, one Indians, two Bangladeshis and one Bangladeshi-born US citizen. 

Besides, Detective Branch senior assistant commissioner Robiul Karim and Banani Police Station officer-in-charge Md Salauddin Khan were killed and 26 police members injured when they tried to rescue the hostages. 

However, six terrorists were killed and one was held in the army-led rescue operation. Thirteen hostages, including women and children, were also rescued during the operation.

Source: AFP