Dhaka terror attack: PM urges nation to stand united against terrorism

As Bangladesh mourns the terrorist attack on a Gulshan eatery in the diplomatic area of Dhaka, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the people to have confidence in her government.

"When Bangladesh is emerging as a self-reliant and self-dependent country, a vested local-international quarter is conspiring to obstruct the country's advancement," the Daily Star quoted her as saying in a televised address to the nation.

She condemned that incident and said the attackers are misleading youth in the name of religion.

"By holding innocent people hostage at gunpoint, they want to portray the country as a dysfunctional state . They have resorted to terrorism after failing to win the hearts of the people democratically. They are misleading the soft-hearted youths in the name of religion and killing people by giving them arms,"she said.

Hasina said the peace-loving people of Bangladesh would not allow the conspirators to be successful in their ulterior motive.

"Together with the countrymen, we will resist their conspiracy at any cost," she said.

Urging people to stand firm against terrorism, Hasina said that everyone has to be united in resisting "the limited number of terrorists".

Promising to root out terrorism from the country, she said, "No conspiracy will be able to hamper our progress. Let's forget all differences and work together for establishing a secure and golden Bangla as dreamt by the Father of the Nation."

She reiterated that Friday's attack demeaned the religion and humanity.

20 people were killed by the gunmen, who attacked the upscale cafe Holey Artisan and took the visitors hostage.

Though it was reported that the Islamic State claimed responsibility on the attack, the U.S. State Department has said it cannot yet be confirmed.

Meanwhile, authorities have stated that all the attackers from the deadly assault were Bangladeshi citizens, and five of them were militants that police had tried to arrest previously.

Police Inspector General Shahidul Hoque told CNN that two police officers had been killed in a gunfire exchange earlier in the standoff.

The nationalities of the 20 hostages, who were found dead inside the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe after Bangladeshi troops stormed the cafe early Saturday morning ending a nearly 11-hour siege, have also been released.

Nine of the victims were Italian, seven were Japanese, one was from India, two were Bangladeshi and one was a U.S. citizen of Bangladeshi origin, according to the country's Joint Force Command.

Six terrorists were killed and one was captured alive.