8 years of Holy Artisan attack: What happened on that day

The day was Friday 1 July 2016. At 8:45 p.m., it was reported that the police were firing 'with terrorists' at the Holy Artisan Bakery on Road No. 79 in Gulshan of the capital. Armed attackers entered a restaurant and took several hostages, including foreign nationals. The brutal killings and hostage crisis that lasted for almost 12 hours that shocked the entire nation.

A total of 22 people were killed in the attack on that day. Among them 2 police were officers and 17 foreign nationals. On that day, law and order forces refrained from carrying out the operation despite preparing several times due to sensitive considerations.

Gulshan Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Ripon Kumar Das was the first who reach the spot along with the force after receiving information about the attack on Holy Artisan. In the statement of the case, he mentioned that on the day of the incident, he was in charge of patrol duty in road number-71 to 92 of Gulshan police station and its surrounding area. Around 9:30 pm, a report of gunfire at Holy Artisan Restaurant and Bakery came over the wireless. After receiving the news, SI Ripon along with the force reached the spot at approximately 8:50 pm. When they arrived at Holy Artisan, they found some terrorists shouting 'Allahu Akbar' and throwing bombs inside the restaurant.

Sensing the presence of the police, the terrorists started throwing bombs and firing indiscriminately at the police. The police also fired back. At one stage, SI Faruq Hossain and Constables Pradeep Chandra Das and Alamgir Hossain were seriously injured by the bullets and grenades thrown by the terrorists. The injured were sent to the hospital for treatment and SI Ripon Kumar Das immediately informed the higher authorities.

After receiving information, the then DMP Commissioner, Officers and forces of various units of DMP including Asaduzzaman Mia, came to the spot. The police and other law enforcement personnel then cordoned off the Holy Artisan bakery. When the law enforcement personnel tried to stop the terrorists, the terrorists continued to throw grenades and fire at them.

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In this situation, around 10:30 pm, the terrorists started throwing grenades and firing at the police officers and forces in front of the house on the western side of the bakery of Holy Artisan. At least 30-35 law enforcement personnel were injured, some critically. At that time, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-Policemen, who were surrounded by other forces, ran to a safe distance. All the injured were rescued and admitted to United Hospital for treatment. Under treatment at 11:20 p.m., the then officer-in-charge (OC) of Banani police station Salahuddin Khan died. After a while, DB Assistant Commissioner (AC) Md. Rabiul Karim died.

Considering the gravity of the situation, it was decided to conduct 'Operation Thunderbolt' on the next day, July 2. A joint commando team consisting of joint army, navy, police, RAB and BGB ended the hostage situation through this operation. 6 militants were killed, one got injured.

The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack on its news agency, known as 'AMAQ', and reported that 20 people had been killed. IS claimed five of the attackers as their 'soldiers' and claimed responsibility for the attack.

On July 2, 2016, at 7:35 am, the joint commando team made the final preparations for the Holy Artisan Restaurant operation in Gulshan. At 7:45 the commando force started the operation. Armed gang members entered the restaurant. At that time, the sound of gunshots was heard. 6 people, including women and children, were seen coming out of the restaurant at 8:30 in the morning. A foreign national captured it on his mobile phone from a nearby building. The raiders took control of the building. The detective team started searching the building for explosives. After a while, the detectives started collecting evidence. The campaign ended at 9:15 am. A 12-hour bloody hostage crisis at Holy Artisan Bakery in Dhaka's Gulshan, ended with a commando operation.

13 people including 4 foreigners were rescued alive at 10 am. The police said that five unidentified bodies were found inside the restaurant. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina confirmed that 5 militants were killed in the operation at 11:50 am. The militants killed in the operation are Mir Samih Mobashwer (19), Rohan Imtiaz (20), Nibras Islam (20), Khairul Islam Payel (22), Shafiqul Islam Ujjal also known as Bikash (26).

Later, the bodies of 20 people had been found who were brutally killed by the terrorists while they were recovered hostages. Among them, nine are citizens of Italy, seven are from Japan, one is from India and three are Bangladeshis.

According to the statement of the rescued hostages, the militants carried out a brutal massacre in the first 20 minutes of the attack. They ensure death by shooting natives and foreigners and slitting their throats with sharp weapons. After the killing, they took pictures and sent them to the new JMB leaders Tamim Chowdhury and Marjan who were staying outside through the app. The militants were so cruel that they ate food despite having rows of dead bodies on the floor.