“Dhaka Attack”, the upcoming cop thriller starring Arifin Shuvo and Mahiya Mahi in the central roles is set for release in three weeks, and the film is shifting gears in its promotional campaign.

“Dhaka Attack”, which is being termed by makers as the first cop thriller of the country - has been in the works for a long time, but with its release date announced, (October 6), the film is gradually amping up the hype.

A couple of weeks before the Gulshan café siege on July 1 last year, two of the five attackers received training in throwing grenades in the middle of the Buriganga.

Sohel Mahfuz, a key “Neo JMB” leader, yesterday confessed before a magistrate that he had supplied all the bombs used in the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in the capital's Gulshan on July 1 last year, court sources said.

Arrested earlier this month from Chapainawabganj, a “Neo JMB” militant Sohel Mahfuz confesses to the court that he hand-made some bombs and collected some more from India and supplied them to the July 1 Dhaka cafe attackers.

This baggage will be an inescapable part of our reality for the years to come. But the memory of Faraaz's actions lightens the load. It helps to remember that our background isn't one that harboured murderers, but one that instilled a very young man like Faraaz with so much strength, maturity and love for humanity.

She is not related to them. Yet tears were streaming down Saleha Begum's face as she stood at the site of the deadliest terror attack in the country's history. She was among the hundreds who gathered on the old premises of the Holey Artisan Bakery yesterday to pay respect to the memory of those whose lives were cut short by militants at the restaurant a year back.

The country's policing system has been witnessing significant changes in the aftermath of the grisly Holey Artisan attack.

Five militants and a chef, who were killed during the army-led joint forces operation codenamed "Operation Thunderbolt" at Holey Artisan Bakery in the capital's Gulshan last year, were hit by bullets and bomb splinters, according to doctors.

The kind of death Faraaz died in the Gulshan cafe attack a year ago represents the true spirit of Bangladesh and Islam, said leading businessman Latifur Rahman yesterday while remembering his grandson at a milad mahfil held at his Gulshan residence.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam yesterday expressed Bangladesh's gratitude towards individuals, foreign countries and governments for standing by Bangladesh during its "difficult one year" since the July 1 Gulshan café attack.

The memory of July 1st will remain one of darkness, a haunting memory of the night we lost Faraaz.

The bravery of Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain was lauded at an Iftar party attended by ambassadors of some Muslim countries in Italy.

In Tears, We Remember

Holey Artisan attack was a watershed event for us – both the society and the state.

On the anniversary of the audacious terrorist attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery, Bangladeshis may ask two questions: “Are we safer today than we were a year before?” and “Where do we go from here?”

On July 1, 2016 Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain, Abinta Kabir and Tarishi Jain lost their lives along with 19 other hostages and two police officers in the worst terrorist attack of our history. They were bright young individuals, brilliant students and most of all, the best of friends.

Though law enforcers could eliminate a number of militants through counterterrorism operations over the last one year, they are yet to complete probe into any of the incidents. A massive crackdown on militant networks was launched following the deadly terror attack at Holey Artisan Bakery in the capital's Gulshan on July 1 last year.

It was a quiet afternoon at the Holey Artisan Bakery in the capital's Gulshan on July 1, one of the last days of Ramadan in 2016. As the sun went down, the Western-style café with 19 staffers in the posh neighbourhood got busier. Diners started arriving and ordering tapas, pizzas, croissants, pastries and cakes.

Shakhawat and Shaila were about to go home with their newborn from the clinic on July 1. But they decided to prolong their stay at Lake View Clinic to let the new mother and her baby have the nursing care given by the clinic for another day.