Bangladesh cafe siege: Fate of detained hostages 'unknown'

Twenty hostages and two police officers died in the attack.

Police in Bangladesh say they have no information on two hostages of the recent siege at a Dhaka cafe who have disappeared after being detained by security forces.

Rights group Amnesty International expressed concern about Hasnat Karim and Tahmid Khan after their families said they had not returned home.

Mr Karim is Bangladeshi and Mr Khan a Canadian of Bangladeshi origin.

Twenty hostages, mostly foreign, and two police officers died in the attack.

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Mr Karim and Mr Khan were among 13 hostages, mostly Bangladeshis, who came out just before commandos stormed the Holey Artisan cafe this month.

A police officer told the BBC the pair had been treated as suspects and interrogated, but said they were no longer in custody.

Mr Karim's wife, who was also held hostage, said she was concerned about his wellbeing.

Amnesty said the authorities had earlier given conflicting accounts on whether they were holding Mr Karim.

Relatives insist both men have no connection to the attack, claimed by the so-called Islamic State group.

Nine Italians, seven Japanese, one US citizen and an Indian were among the victims. Police said they had been brutally attacked with sharp weapons.

The attackers were almost all from affluent backgrounds and had studied in some of the country's top schools and colleges.

The attack followed a spate of murders of secular bloggers, gay activists, academics and members of religious minorities, blamed on Islamist militants.