Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor yesterday lauded Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain for his supreme sacrifice during the July 1 terror attack on the Gulshan Holey Artisan Bakery.

The young man stood up against the terrorists and refused to desert his friends that day. He was eventually killed along with 20 hostages, including 17 foreigners.

“Faraaz was a meritorious youth and a patriot who sacrificed his life for his friends. He had the chance but he did not leave his friends. This Bangladesh is Faraaz's Bangladesh. Bangabandhu dreamt of such a Bangladesh," Noor said.

He was speaking as the chief guest at a programme at Durgapur upazila in Netrakona. Khudro Nri-gosti Cultural Academy at Birishiri organised the programme at Garo Baptist Convention Field to mark “Owangala", a traditional festival to hail the new crops and harvest.

Noor said the countrv achieved independence at the cost of tens ot thousands of lives and people from all religions had contributed.

People from the ethnic minorities also took part in the Liberation War, chanting "Joy Bangla" - a non-communal slogan. But, a vested group was trying to create divisions among castes and religions, he added.

This group killed Bangabandhu in a planned way. They tried to kill Sheikh Hasina. They "destroyed" the constitution after assuming power on different occasions after 1975, and are killing people with misinterpretation of religion, the minister said.

Referring to the terror attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery, Noor said the cold-blooded attackers killed 20 people during Ramadan. They even killed a pregnant woman and held a feast in front of the bodies, he said.

"But the people of Bangladesh denounced these demons and even some families denied taking their bodies," he added.

Local lawmaker Chhabi Biswas and Mymensingh-1 lawmaker Jewel Areng, among others, spoke at the programme, which was chaired by Netrakona deputy commissioner and also president of the academy, Mushfiqur Rahman.