DHAKA: Soumir Baroi, a hostage inside one of the bathrooms at Holey Artisan Bakery, which witnessed a hostage situation, managed to establish contact with his brother Gopal via text messages.

As gunmen held hostage dozens of people inside the popular hangout for foreigners in the capital’s diplomatic zone of Gulshan, Gopal tried to reach his elder brother Soumir, who works at the restaurant, over the phone at around 9:30pm. After failing to reach him on one of his numbers, Gopal managed to reach Soumir on another number, which he did not pick up.

10:00pm: In reply to Gopal’s text, Soumir wrote, “Me and nephew are fine. Locked in the bathroom”.

1:44am: Soumir texted again “What is the situation outside?” To which Gopal replied “Rab is overlooking everything. They are doing all they can do, so that you all are not harmed”.

1:45am: Soumir texted again “Chhoto Mamun [his identity could not be known] knows where our toilet is. We are there. If you can, please break the wall and take us”. Gopal replied: “Switch on your Facebook. Please give me one picture”.

2:15am they exchanged a series of texts. Gopal wrote, “Do they know you are in the toilet?”

Soumir: “Yes”.

Gopal: “Are they saying anything to you?”

Soumir: “They don’t want anything. They have locked us”.

Gopal: “Dada please sit on a side of the toilet. They may fire”.

Soumir: “Yes we are”.

4:58am: Gopal asked: “Dada how are you now?” Soumir: “Yeah”.

5:28am: Gopal texted: “We all pray for you so that you come back safe and sound”. Soumir replied: “Yes”.

5:48am: Soumir still trapped inside texted: “May be Rab will enter now. Please come to the toilet soon. It is painful here”.

Gopal replied: “I have told a major about you all”.

6:22am: Gopal texted his brother: “Please say how you are now?”

7:40am an offensive was launched. Gopal has been trying to reach his brother for a while. At one point, he managed to get through the line, but there was no answer. Operation Thunderbolt led by the army ended at around 9:30am bringing the hours-long hostage situation to an end. However, the fate of those trapped inside could not be known yet.

Those who could recite Quran were spared

Those who could recite a verse from the Quran were spared, others were tortured, said a rescued hostage of the Gulshan restaurant attack where at least two lawmen were killed.

“The others were tortured by the gunmen,” said Rezaul Karim, father of Hasnat Karim-who was held hostage inside the cafe in the diplomatic zone for over 10 hours. Hasnat Karim, his wife Sharmin Karim and daughter Safa, 13, and Rayan, 8, went to celebrate Safa’s birthday at the Spanish restaurant in Gulshan’s Road no-79 on Friday night. The birthday celebration took a dangerous turn when gunmen stormed into the restaurant and took about 20 people, including foreigners dining there, hostage.

They were finally rescued after a joint drive of the military, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh, police and elite force Rapid Action Battalion pushed a heavily-manned offensive this morning.

“They [gunmen] did not behave rough with the Bangladesh nationals,” Reza said quoting his son Hasnat. “Rather they provided night meals for all Bangladeshis.”

“The gunmen were doing a background check on religion by asking everyone to recite from the Quran. Those who could recite a verse or two were spared. The others were tortured.”

Siege highlights Japan’s development aid overseas

The militant attack at an upscale restaurant in Bangladesh’s capital, where Japanese and other foreign diners were taken hostage, highlights Japan’s major role in development work overseas, particularly in Asia.

Eight outside consultants for Japan’s development agency were eating together at Holey Artisan Bakery in a diplomatic zone in Dhaka when the attack began at around 9:20 pm on Friday. One, who had been shot, was among 13 hostages rescued after security forces stormed the restaurant on Saturday morning. Before the fates of the others were confirmed, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe described the situation as dire.

The Japanese were working on an infrastructure project for the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The development agency disburses about $1.4 billion a year in grants, $1.2 billion in technical assistance and $8.8 billion in low-interest development loans.

Japan’s overseas development assistance has shrunk since its peak as the country wrestles with budget deficits and its own economic stagnation. But its aid remains large, and Abe has pushed to increase and refocus it as part of his effort to increase Japan’s role internationally. The top recipients are in Asia, but Japan also is a sizeable donor in Africa. The president of JICA, Shinichi Kitaoka, said his agency would strengthen security precautions while continuing to contribute to the development of Bangladesh. JICA had warned of possible attacks during the month of Ramazan, particularly after the killing of a Japanese man in northern Bangladesh last October, but Kitaoka said that the restaurant was believed to be relatively safe. He noted, though, that it also may have been a soft target for militants.—The Daily Star

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2016