Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has paid tribute to seven Japanese mass rapid transit experts killed in the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Dhaka's Gulshan.
The attack, the deadliest night of terror in Bangladesh's history, saw 22 civilians killed, the majority of them foreigners residing in or visiting the capital's diplomatic quarter around Gulshan-Baridhara.
The Japanese nationals were part of a survey team of the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project.
Quader, also Awami League general secretary, Monday placed wreaths at the newly-built monument at the metro rail depot in Diabari, Uttara.
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The world lost seven mass rapid transit experts with the death of the Japanese nationals, he said.
Condemning all terrorist acts the minister said the Bangladesh government has stuck to its policy of zero tolerance against terrorism.
Japan International Cooperation Agency President Tanaka Akihiko, Honda Taro, parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs of Japan, Kishida Fumio, on behalf of the prime minister of Japan, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki, and Metrorail Project Managing Director MAN Siddique also spoke on the occasion.