Staff Reporter :
The government on Sunday has decided to hand over Tk 15 lakh each to the Holy Artisan victims’ families, who were killed by extremists in this café in the city two years ago.
“As the part of the decision the government yesterday handed over Tk 15 lakh to each of three Bangladeshi families and an Indian at programme at Police auditorium in the city,” said Shamsur Rahman, Additional Secretary of the Home Ministry.
He added, “It is not compensation or any grant or any assistance. It is rather a mark of our sympathy towards the victims.”
“Families of Italian victims wanted to know from our ambassador in Rome if we could compensate. We took this proposal to our Prime Minister and she said we can do something for all, though it is not possible to compensate their loss,” he said.
On July 1, 2016, five armed men entered the Holey Artisan Bakery, took dozens of hostages and killing 22 of them, including nine Italians and seven Japanese.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal handed over the money to families of three Bangladeshi victims and an Indian at a programme at Police Auditorium in Dhaka.
Japanese ambassadors to Dhaka Hiroyasu Izumi and representative of Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organisation David Doolan were also present.
The Home minister said Bangladesh is now ready to face any extremist activities. “We are now ready to face any terrorist attack, the extremism, our police forces, security forces, they in their skills, professionalism can face any challenge,” he said.
Police could trace involvement of 21 people in the terror attack. Among them, 13 people were killed during their different operations and six people have been arrested while two suspects are absconding.
