Bangladesh today marks the tenth anniversary of the Holey Artisan Bakery tragedy, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the country's history. On the night of July 1, 2016, five armed assailants stormed the restaurant in Dhaka’s Gulshan diplomatic zone, taking local and foreign diners hostage. The siege lasted about 12 hours until the army’s 1 Para Commando Battalion launched ‘Operation Thunderbolt’ on the morning of July 2, ending the crisis.

The attack claimed the lives of 17 foreign nationals—nine Italians, seven Japanese, and one Indian—along with three Bangladeshis. Two police officers, Assistant Commissioner RabiuI Islam and Banani Police Station Officer-in-Charge Salauddin Ahmed, were killed while attempting to rescue hostages. Investigations later revealed the involvement of the banned militant group Neo-JMB. On November 27, 2019, a special anti-terrorism tribunal sentenced seven of eight accused to death, acquitting one.

Following the attack, the government strengthened security measures, increasing surveillance and establishing permanent checkpoints in diplomatic areas. Analysts note that the tragedy reshaped Bangladesh’s internal security framework and reinforced its counterterrorism stance.