'Bangladesh ignored many wake up calls in the past'

Thimphu, Sept 2: The Bangladesh government’s failure to take action against those behind the attack on bloggers and minorities in the recent past led to the terror attack in July on a popular Dhaka cafe that left 23 dead, says poet-activist Sadaf Saaz. Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of the just-concluded Mountain Echoes Literary festival, Saaz said that the horrifying attack shook the conscience of the country and the government has filly woken up to take action. Most of the victims in the attack on the upscale Holey Artisan Bakery were foriegners and were killed after being taken hostage by the attackers. The poet, who lost her close friend Ishrat in the attack, said the gruesome incident had shaken the society and has led to a wider debate.

“It was devastating for us. This made us sit up and pushed us to have conversations among ourselves. We should have spoken more strongly before. Now, the government is also taking very strong measures,” said Saaz, who is the director and producer of the Dhaka Literary Festival.

Saaz said that the attack could have been averted had the Sheikh Hasi government cracked the whip after a spate of attacks on secular bloggers, minorities and liberals in the country. (IANS)