Bangladesh holds state ceremony to pay homage to Dhaka attack victims

Tributes poured in as Bangladesh Monday held a state ceremony to pay homage to the victims and their families of an attack at a restaurant in Dhaka's diplomatic enclave Gulshan.

On the second day of the two-day national mourning over the country's worst hostage crisis, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed floral wreath at the caskets of the victims at around 10:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) in the ceremony held at an Army stadium in Dhaka.

Hasina also stood in silence for a minute to honor the victims, after a wreath was placed on behalf of President Md Abdul Hamid, who is now in Bhutan on a state visit.

The caskets were placed in a raised platform which bored the flags of India, Italy, Bangladesh, Japan and the United States -- commemorating the nationalities of the victims.

Envoys of India, Italy, the United States and Japan also paid their respects at the caskets.

Diplomats from many other countries also placed floral wreaths at the caskets of the victims of Friday's attack.

Hundreds of relatives and friends of the victims and people from all walks of life also poured in to pay their last tribute at scene.

Twenty hostages, mostly foreign nationals, were killed when seven gunmen stormed in with guns and swords in the Gulshan's Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1.

Nine Italians, seven Japanese, two Bangladeshis, an Indian and a Bangladeshi-born U.S. citizen were among the 20 people hacked to death by the attackers on Friday night.

The gunmen also murdered two Bangladeshi police officers in the early hour of the attack.

Responsibility for the attack has been claimed by the Islamic State militant group. Six of the gunmen were killed while one was captured and detained alive. Endit