The mystery of the Dhaka restaurant attack has taken a new turn after a set of pictures surfaced showing hostages Tahmid Hasib Khan and Hasnat Karim talking to an attacker, Rohan Imtiaz.
The pictures, taken on the morning of July 2, show the two hostages talking to Rohan on the rooftop of Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan.
CollectedAmong them, Tahmid was seen holding a firearm. The attacker Rohan also had a firearm while they were talking to Hasnat Karim.
Hasnat and Tahmid were among the 34 who survived the July 1 terror attack on the Holey Artisan restaurant situated in the Gulshan diplomatic zone in Dhaka, and were released by the terrorists in the early morning.
CollectedEarlier news reports, quoting witnesses, have suggested that Tahmid was forced to carry a gun while following instructions from the attackers.
Collected
According to a New York Times report published on July 8, hostage Tahmid was forced to carry a gun to comply with instructions from the attackers.
“At one point, the attackers directed Mr Khan [Tahmid] to carry a gun and go with them to the roof of the restaurant, the hostages said. They said Mr Khan resisted, and to persuade him to hold the weapon the attackers fired it to show him its magazine was empty. Mr Khan broke down in tears at their insistence he take the gun, one of the hostages said, but reluctantly complied,” according to the New York Times report.
Another news report published at Guernica magazine on August 5 says the gunmen forced Tahmid to hold an unloaded gun during the night and they also took him upstairs with Karim.
“The purpose appears to have been to use Khan [Tahmid] as a human shield in case the police tried to shoot the attackers,” it stated.
Police claimed to have arrested Hasnat and Tahmid on Wednesday for their “dubious role” during the incident. Families claimed that both Tahmid and Hasnat did not return home since their detention on July 2.
A Dhaka Court on August 4 remanded the duo on an eight-day remand each in the case.
Hasnat is a former teacher at North South University. Tahmid, a Canadian residence permit holder, is currently enrolled as a student at the University of Toronto.