Gulshan Attack: Govt plans to honour victims

The government is going to honour the foreigners killed in a militant attack at Holey Artisan Bakery in the capital's Gulshan on July 1 last year.

After a meeting with visiting Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) President Shinichi Kitaoka at the secretariat office yesterday, Finance Minister AMA Muhith told journalists that they would honour the victims. 

But he did not disclose how they would be honoured, saying it was not the proper time to talk about the issue now.

Muhith said he might say it while delivering his national budget speech in parliament on June 1.

Twenty-two people, including 17 foreigners, were killed in the café attack. Of the foreigners, nine were Italians, seven Japanese and the other was Indian.

A finance ministry official said the government might give $12,000 to $13,000 as compensation to the family of each victim when they would be honoured. For this, there would be an allocation in the next budget.

After a long time, the Jica boss came to visit Bangladesh to review the security situation in Bangladesh after the militant attack last year.

Jica President Kitaoka said he found the security situation good.  

Muhith, however, said the Japanese people were concerned about the security in Bangladesh as still militants were being caught.

The Jica president told his country's people that militants were being caught and efforts were going on to root out militancy, the minister added, quoting the Jica boss.