After being stuck in the Persian Gulf for a long time, the Strait of ‘MV Bangla’, owned by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC), has successfully crossed the Strait of ‘MV Bangla’.
This is a great relief for 31 Bangladeshi sailors and crew members of the ship, which has been in a long period of uncertainty due to the ongoing war situation in the Middle East.
The ship crossed the Strait of Hormuz at 3pm on Monday after receiving the necessary clearance from Iranian authorities. According to the international shipping watchdog Marine Traffic, the ship was heading towards the port of Fujaira in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday morning.
Rashedul Hasan, chief engineer of the ship, said everyone was feeling relieved and happy after finally being able to cross the Harmuz Strait after a long wait. In his words, it is a taste of liberation after a long period of uncertainty.
Commodore Mahmudul Maleque, managing director of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, said the ship had crossed the harmuz safely and was preparing to enter the waters of Fujaira port. The ship’s next destination is Cape Town and Durban in South Africa.
How the ship was trapped
‘MV Bangla Jayatra’ crossed the Strait of Hormuz from India on February 2nd and entered the Persian Gulf. Later, the steel coils from Qatar reached the port of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates.
Tensions have escalated throughout the region following a military strike by the United States and Israel over Iran on February 28. This has made the world’s most important waterways, the Strait of Hormuz, which is a high-risk area. Many commercial ships, including ‘Bangla’s Jayatra, were stranded there due to security risks.
Permission to multiple failed attempts
According to BSC sources, the ship had to return for security reasons even though they tried several times to cross the Strait in the war situation. The ship has been waiting for the permission of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for the past few days.
After receiving permission on Monday, the ship was able to cross the danger zone.
close-up of the government
The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation said the shipping ministry and BSC closely monitored the ship’s movements throughout the entire period. Communications were also maintained to ensure the safety of the sailors.