Gulshan terror attack

Promising lives brutally cut short

Those who were killed at Holey Artisan Bakery on Friday had a lot to give to the world. Here is what friends and family have to say about them.
Ishrat Akhond was a Bangladeshi arts promoter and the trustee of the Institute of Asian Creatives (IAC). She was a supporter of arts for more than 20 years. Ishrat once said: “My intention is to promote Bangladeshi artists and arts on a global scale. Born in a developing country, I have seen many artists going unrecognised. With a little exposure, they can go far. So, my aim is to bring promotion and recognition to both established and upcoming artistic talents in our country.”
Ishrat had quite an influence. “I always believed that I could motivate people, and I have so much to give. I have already promoted over 200 artists, given them a chance to display their craft locally and internationally. When I look back, I feel great and that propels me forward,” she is believed to have said.
Ishrat was at a dinner meeting with Italian businessmen when she was killed, according to three of her friends.  One of them said: “She was such a loving person, such a good friend.”  Others posted photographs and condolences messages on her Facebook page.
Faraaz Hossain, 20, of Dhaka was the younger of two sons of Simeen Hossain and Muhammad Waquer Bin Hossain and the grandson of Latifur Rahman, chairman of Transcom Group, and Shahnaz Rahman. Faraaz was a 2016 graduate of Oxford College of Emory University and a student at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. He had come to Dhaka on May 18 to spend his summer holidays. He had gone to Holey Artisan Bakery for dinner along with two friends when the terrorists attacked.
Abinta Kabir, 18, was a Dhaka-born US citizen and a resident of Miami. Abinta was studying at Emory University’s Oxford College and was expected to graduate in 2019. She was visiting family and friends in Dhaka. Abinta went to the café after iftar—the evening meal with which Muslims break the day’s fast during Ramadan—to meet up with friends, Afsara Adiba wrote in a Facebook post.
Emory University president James Wagner said he had been in contact with Abinta’s mother, who was in “unspeakable pain” after receiving news of her daughter’s death. “Please, as you are inclined, direct your kindest thoughts and sincerest prayers in her behalf and that of her family (sic),” Wagner wrote.
Nadia Benedetti, 52, was in Bangladesh at work. She was the managing director of StudioTex Ltd, a company headquartered in London and with a branch office in Dhaka. Her niece, Giulia, wrote on FB (translated from Italian): “Now we have lost the last hope, my aunt, Nadia Benedetti, who was brutally killed in the attack yesterday in Bangladesh.
We will not see each other again; we will not talk, will not comment on fashion; we’re never going to sing together again. She had lived in Italy, Kenya, Bangladesh, and never gave up, even in the most difficult moments. I ask you friends, relatives, DO NOT FORGET; do not lose her memory; do not forget what happened; do not let these crazy people commit more massacres; do not let them win. I express our solidarity with the families of all the victims and survivors of the tragedy. We’ll miss you, aunt.”
Claudio Cappelli, 45, lived in Vedano al Lambro, in the province of Monza. For more than five years, he worked in Bangladesh with his textile company, which produced T-shirts, clothing and bedding. The honorary consul general of Veneto in Bangladesh, Gianalberto Scarpa Basteri, says of Claudio (translated from Italian): “He was excited about his work; he had a positive experience in Bangladesh, saying it was a country where you could work very well ... I cannot understand how this happened ... the Gulshan neighbourhood is full of embassies and registered offices of large companies in Bangladesh. There are checkpoints and you can only enter with a pass. It is, or rather was, a quiet and safe neighbourhood. I am amazed at this attack.”
Claudio’s sister said: “These are tragic moments for all of us; we are shocked by the action of these murderers. We never thought such a thing could happen.”
Vincenzo D’Allestro, 46, was a native of Caserta, Piedimonte Matese, and moved to Acerra (Naples) last October. Vincenzo D’Allestro was born in Wetzikon, Switzerland. His wife, Maria Gaudio, is a native of Glossop. Vincenzo and Maria were married in 1993.
Claudia Maria D’Antona, 56, was the managing director of Fedo Trading Ltd, an Italian textile company operating in Bangladesh. She lived in Dhaka for more than 20 years with her husband, Gian Galeazzo Boschetti, the only Italian to survive the attack.
They were together in the restaurant for dinner, but he managed to escape. Claudia Maria D’Antona graduated with a law degree from the University of Turin and had volunteered for the Green Cross, an organisation focused on the challenges of security, poverty and environmental degradation and sustainability. She had also been a paramedic, a first responder to the 1980-1981 earthquake in Irpinia and the 1983 Cinema Statuto fire in Turin.
 Simona Monti, 33, was seven months pregnant. She was supposed to return home in Italy from a long vacation to deliver her child. Her brother, Rev. Luca Monti, is a priest in southern Italy. He says he hopes “this experience of martyrdom for my family and the blood of my sister Simona can help contribute to building a more just and brotherly world.” Simona lived in the town of Magliano Sabino, an hour’s drive from Rome.
Adele Puglisi, 50, was from Catania. She was planning to travel home in Italy on Saturday. Adele had started working at Artsana as the quality control manager of a textile group.
Cristian Rossi, 47, manager of Feletto Umberto (Udine), was the father of three-year-old twin girls. He intended to return to Italy on Thursday but had delayed his trip. He also owned a company, Fibres Ltd, a consultation firm, and brokerage in the textiles sector with operating units in Bangladesh and China.
Maria Riboli, 33, of Lombard, lived in Solza with her husband and a three-year-old daughter. Maria, who worked in textiles, was on a business trip. She had been in Bangladesh for several months. Five of the Italians who died at the bakery are believed to have known each other. They were socialising when one of the terrorists launched a grenade under their table. Condolences are pouring in from friends and family on Maria’s FB page.
Marco Tondat, the father of a six-year-old girl, was a young businessman in the textile sector of Cordovado (Pordenone). He worked for StudioTex Ltd.
Tarishi Jain, 18, was a student at the University of California, Berkeley. Tarushi was awarded an internship by Eastern Bank Ltd in 2016 and her project was on ‘EBL—commerce growth opportunity in Bangladesh’. Her father, Sanjeev Jain, runs a 20-year-old garment business in Dhaka. Tarishi’s cousin Sirish said, “We are saddened, we want to go to Dhaka.”
The seven Japanese nationals were Ogasawara, Tanaka Hiroshi, Shakai Yuku, Kurusaki Nubuhiri, Okamura Makato, Shimudhuria Rui and Hashimato Hideiko. The chief cabinet secretary of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, said these seven victims—five men and two women—were among eight Japanese nationals eating at the restaurant. One man, who was shot, was rescued and is now in hospital. All of them were consultants working on a Japanese government aid project in Dhaka.

Gulshan terror attack

Promising lives brutally cut short

Those who were killed at Holey Artisan Bakery on Friday had a lot to give to the world. Here is what friends and family have to say about them. Ishrat Akhond was a Bangladeshi arts promoter and the trustee of the Institute of Asian Creatives (IAC). She was a supporter of arts for more than 20 years. Ishrat once said: My intention is to promote Bangladeshi artists and arts on a global scale. Born in a developing country, I have seen many artists going unrecognised. With a little exposure, they can go far. So, my aim is to bring promotion and recognition to both established and upcoming artistic talents in our country. Ishrat had quite an influence. I always believed that I could motivate people, and I have so much to give. I have already promoted over 200 artists, given them a chance to display their craft locally and internationally. When I look back, I feel great and that propels me forward, she is believed to have said. Ishrat was at a dinner meeting with Italian businessmen when she was killed, according to three of her friends. One of them said: She was such a loving person, such a good friend. Others posted photographs and condolences messages on her Facebook page. Faraaz Hossain, 20, of Dhaka was the younger of two sons of Simeen Hossain and Muhammad Waquer Bin Hossain and the grandson of Latifur Rahman, chairman of Transcom Group, and Shahnaz Rahman. Faraaz was a 2016 graduate of Oxford College of Emory University and a student at Emory Universitys Goizueta Business School. He had come to Dhaka on May 18 to spend his summer holidays. He had gone to Holey Artisan Bakery for dinner along with two friends when the terrorists attacked. Abinta Kabir, 18, was a Dhaka-born US citizen and a resident of Miami. Abinta was studying at Emory Universitys Oxford College and was expected to graduate in 2019. She was visiting family and friends in Dhaka. Abinta went to the caf after iftarthe evening meal with which Muslims break the days fast during Ramadanto meet up with friends, Afsara Adiba wrote in a Facebook post. Emory University president James Wagner said he had been in contact with Abintas mother, who was in unspeakable pain after receiving news of her daughters death. Please, as you are inclined, direct your kindest thoughts and sincerest prayers in her behalf and that of her family (sic), Wagner wrote. Nadia Benedetti, 52, was in Bangladesh at work. She was the managing director of StudioTex Ltd, a company headquartered in London and with a branch office in Dhaka. Her niece, Giulia, wrote on FB (translated from Italian): Now we have lost the last hope, my aunt, Nadia Benedetti, who was brutally killed in the attack yesterday in Bangladesh. We will not see each other again; we will not talk, will not comment on fashion; were never going to sing together again. She had lived in Italy, Kenya, Bangladesh, and never gave up, even in the most difficult moments. I ask you friends, relatives, DO NOT FORGET; do not lose her memory; do not forget what happened; do not let these crazy people commit more massacres; do not let them win. I express our solidarity with the families of all the victims and survivors of the tragedy. Well miss you, aunt. Claudio Cappelli, 45, lived in Vedano al Lambro, in the province of Monza. For more than five years, he worked in Bangladesh with his textile company, which produced T-shirts, clothing and bedding. The honorary consul general of Veneto in Bangladesh, Gianalberto Scarpa Basteri, says of Claudio (translated from Italian): He was excited about his work; he had a positive experience in Bangladesh, saying it was a country where you could work very well ... I cannot understand how this happened ... the Gulshan neighbourhood is full of embassies and registered offices of large companies in Bangladesh. There are checkpoints and you can only enter with a pass. It is, or rather was, a quiet and safe neighbourhood. I am amazed at this attack. Claudios sister said: These are tragic moments for all of us; we are shocked by the action of these murderers. We never thought such a thing could happen. Vincenzo DAllestro, 46, was a native of Caserta, Piedimonte Matese, and moved to Acerra (Naples) last October. Vincenzo DAllestro was born in Wetzikon, Switzerland. His wife, Maria Gaudio, is a native of Glossop. Vincenzo and Maria were married in 1993. Claudia Maria DAntona, 56, was the managing director of Fedo Trading Ltd, an Italian textile company operating in Bangladesh. She lived in Dhaka for more than 20 years with her husband, Gian Galeazzo Boschetti, the only Italian to survive the attack. They were together in the restaurant for dinner, but he managed to escape. Claudia Maria DAntona graduated with a law degree from the University of Turin and had volunteered for the Green Cross, an organisation focused on the challenges of security, poverty and environmental degradation and sustainability. She had also been a paramedic, a first responder to the 1980-1981 earthquake in Irpinia and the 1983 Cinema Statuto fire in Turin. Simona Monti, 33, was seven months pregnant. She was supposed to return home in Italy from a long vacation to deliver her child. Her brother, Rev. Luca Monti, is a priest in southern Italy. He says he hopes this experience of martyrdom for my family and the blood of my sister Simona can help contribute to building a more just and brotherly world. Simona lived in the town of Magliano Sabino, an hours drive from Rome. Adele Puglisi, 50, was from Catania. She was planning to travel home in Italy on Saturday. Adele had started working at Artsana as the quality control manager of a textile group. Cristian Rossi, 47, manager of Feletto Umberto (Udine), was the father of three-year-old twin girls. He intended to return to Italy on Thursday but had delayed his trip. He also owned a company, Fibres Ltd, a consultation firm, and brokerage in the textiles sector with operating units in Bangladesh and China. Maria Riboli, 33, of Lombard, lived in Solza with her husband and a three-year-old daughter. Maria, who worked in textiles, was on a business trip. She had been in Bangladesh for several months. Five of the Italians who died at the bakery are believed to have known each other. They were socialising when one of the terrorists launched a grenade under their table. Condolences are pouring in from friends and family on Marias FB page. Marco Tondat, the father of a six-year-old girl, was a young businessman in the textile sector of Cordovado (Pordenone). He worked for StudioTex Ltd. Tarishi Jain, 18, was a student at the University of California, Berkeley. Tarushi was awarded an internship by Eastern Bank Ltd in 2016 and her project was on EBLcommerce growth opportunity in Bangladesh. Her father, Sanjeev Jain, runs a 20-year-old garment business in Dhaka. Tarishis cousin Sirish said, We are saddened, we want to go to Dhaka. The seven Japanese nationals were Ogasawara, Tanaka Hiroshi, Shakai Yuku, Kurusaki Nubuhiri, Okamura Makato, Shimudhuria Rui and Hashimato Hideiko. The chief cabinet secretary of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, said these seven victimsfive men and two womenwere among eight Japanese nationals eating at the restaurant. One man, who was shot, was rescued and is now in hospital. All of them were consultants working on a Japanese government aid project in Dhaka.