“Allahu Akbar”, meaning “God is greatest” were the last words heard before 6-8 gunmen stormed a popular cafe (Holey Artisan Bakery) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The armed attackers are holding around 20 people hostage in the diplomatic area of Bangladesh’s capital. The gun battle between the men and the police left one officer dead after explosives were thrown at them. Police say that they are trying to resolve the issue peacefully.
Bangladesh is home to nearly 150 million Muslims, and until recent months, they seemed to avoid any religious extremism that has become more and more common in other parts of the world. Yet, following numerous attacks, especially ones aimed at people criticizing Islam, the peace is seemingly ending.
The hostage attack is the second of the day, following the murder of Hindu priest that was hacked to death in his temple in Bangladesh’s southwestern district.
This was the latest in an increase of murders across Bangladesh. Bloggers, academics and religious minorities such as Hindus, Christians and Buddhists seem to be the target of attackers. The Government is said to be trying to crack down on this terrorism. Many fear that the violence may be linked to ISIS.
Islamic State is a militant group following Islamic fundamentalism, who have laid claim to many recent attacks. Despite this, Bangladesh authorities maintain that there is no ISIS presence within their nation.
