The High Court has commuted the death sentences of seven convicted individuals to life imprisonment unto death in connection with the Holey Artisan Bakery attack.

High court bench of Justice Sahidul Karim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman delivered the verdict.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Deputy Attorney General Bashir Ahmed represented the state. Lawyer Ariful Islam and Md. Amimul Ehsan Zubair were at the hearing on behalf of the defendants.

Lawyer Ariful Islam said that the death reference was brought to the High Court, and an appeal was made for acquittal. The High Court dismissed the death reference and, by partially accepting the appeal, reduced the death sentences of the seven convicted individuals to life imprisonment unto death.

The seven who had their death sentences reduced to life imprisonment are: Jahangir Hossain alias Rajib Gandhi, Aslam Hossain alias Rash, Abdus Sabur Khan, Rakibul Hasan Reagan, Hadisur Rahman, Shariful Islam alias Khaled, and Mamunur Rashid Ripon.

On November 27, 2020, the judge of the Dhaka Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal sentenced the seven to death for their involvement in the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in 2016. One was acquitted.

On the night of July 1, 2016, during the 12-hour siege of the café, the militants held dozens of people hostage and killed 22 of them, including 17 foreigners and two policemen. At least 50 people were seriously injured in the deadliest ever militant attack in the country.

Those killed included nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian, one Bangladesh-born American and two Bangladeshis.

Five armed men stormed the café, frequented mostly by foreigners, and took the diners as hostage. At one stage they started killing some of the hostages one by one. 

Bangladesh authorities responded with a brutal crackdown on the militants after the gruesome attack.