Dhaka – At least one person was killed and dozen others injured in a gunfight after a group of armed people took hostage several people, including foreign nationals, at a restaurant in Dhaka’s Gulshan neighbourhood.

A top security official said the gunmen entered Holey Artisan Bakery in the evening when a number of customers were having dinner at the restaurant.

“It’s a Spanish restaurant, a small restaurant, where customers usually come for dining in the evening. We are trying to establish contact with the gunmen to resolve the crisis,” said Benzir Ahmed, chief of Rapid Action Battalion.

He urged television channels not to broadcast live the rescue operation.

The battalion chief said the police talked to a number of staff members of the restaurant after they managed to escape the scene.

A supervisor of the restaurant who managed to escape the attack told reporters that at least eight gunmen entered the restaurant at about 8.45 pm local time and fired their guns.

They chanted Allah hu Akbar (The God is Great) slogan when fringing gunshots and exploding bombs inside the restaurant, he said adding that more than 10 people were having dinner when the armed men started firing.

Private broadcaster Channel24 reported that the police rushed to the scene immediately and locked in gunfight with the criminals. The broadcaster reported that a police officer was killed and three others, including a bystander, were wounded in the attack.

It was not clear who carried out the attacks. No group claimed responsibility of the attacks.

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