Shippers Council urges swift action to rescue 23 sailors from hijacked Bangladeshi-owned ship

BM Report:

Bangladesh’s MV Abdullah ship, with 23 sailors aboard, was hijacked by Somali pirates on March 12, 2024, en route from Mozambique to Abu Dhabi. With rising methane and carbon dioxide levels, there’s an imminent risk of explosion, threatening both lives and the environment.

Rezaul Karim, Chairman of the Shippers Council of Bangladesh, vehemently called for immediate action to rescue the sailors and safeguard the vessel carrying coal worth 80 crore takas.

He said, “Ensuring the safety and security of our import-export business and ships is imperative, but these robberies make the way hard to maintain.”

He emphasized the critical need to protect seafarers and maintain trade integrity amidst rising piracy concerns.

He stated, “As far as we understood, our slow and weak ship was targeted by the pirates and besides there were no armed security guards and water cannons on the ship as ‘safeguards’. It appears that the pirates took advantage of the situation.”

With much of Bangladesh’s trade dependent on this route, he urged government ministries, foreign embassies, and international organizations to prioritize maritime safety.