Hijacked BD ship anchored off Somalia coast, crew safe

The hijacked Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah anchored near the Somali coast on Thursday morning and all 23 Bangladeshi crew members on board were reported to be in good health.
Rear Admiral (Retd) Khurshid Alam, foreign secretary (Maritime), briefed journalists about the update on Thursday.
"Our primary goal is to secure their safe return and we will not deviate from this objective," he told reporters at the Foreign Ministry.
The MV Abdullah, carrying a cargo of 55,000 tonnes of coal, was attacked by pirates on Tuesday. Subsequently, it was heading towards Somalia.
In a similar case, Mr Alam mentioned the successful repatriation of the crew of the MV Jahan Moni -- another Bangladeshi ship hijacked by Somali pirates.
"Previously, seven Bangladeshi crew members were also brought home after their Malaysian ship Albedo was hijacked," Mr Alam added.
Responding to a question, he denied reports of contact between the Bangladeshi authorities and the hijackers regarding a ransom. "Any media reports claiming such contact are untrue," he said.
Mr Alam also said that the MV Abdullah was not following a risky route; it was on a standard shipping lane.
He confirmed that the ship anchored near the Somali coast on Thursday morning.
"We have received information from various sources that there are now around 60 pirates on board."
He said all the Bangladeshi crew are in good health.
While elaborating on past experiences, Mr Alam said the retrieval of the MV Jahan Moni crew in 2010 took 100 days, while the seven Bangladeshi crew members from the Albedo were rescued after three years and four months.
"We were continuously involved in those efforts, and with the assistance of the Kenya army, we were finally able to secure the release of our Bangladeshi crew," he added.
"While the pirates' demands are yet unknown, we are in close contact with the ship's owner and the Ministry of Shipping," he said, expressing hope for the crew's safe return.
"However, based on past experiences, it is important to manage expectations as this process may take time," he concluded.
UNB adds: Mina Azmin, wife of Mohammad Atique Ullah Khan, chief officer of the Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah that was hijacked by Somali pirates, had to be admitted to a hospital after fainting repeatedly.
Atique sent an audio message to his wife around iftar time on Tuesday.
Atique's audio message said, "They are taking our mobile phones away. The bottom line is, if the money is not given, they will kill us one by one. The sooner the money is given, the sooner they will let us go. Please, get this message out."
Atique is from Chandanaish upazila of Chattogram. He lives in the Nandan Kanan area of the port city with his mother, wife and three daughters.
His elderly mother Shahnoor Begum and children broke down in tears when this correspondent went to their home last night. Shahnoor Begum was crying and hugging a framed picture of Atique.
"A day feels like a year! I was told that we'll have to wait a few months to get our son back. How will I live with this sorrow?" - Shahnoor Begum wailed.
With her son held hostage by Somali pirates and daughter-in-law unwell, Shahnoor Begum was visibly worried. She said, "In his last voice message, my son told my daughter-in-law, 'If they don't give the money, they will kill us.' She has been ill ever since she got that message.
"She is expecting. After losing consciousness several times on Tuesday night, we took her to a private hospital. After treatment, we brought her home. She is still ill!
"My son Atique took the responsibility of the whole family. He has been working on the ship since 2007. Now he is in terrible danger! I don't know how my son is, if he has food to eat.
"We were sitting down to have Iftar on the first day of Ramadan. I just put a date in my mouth; at that time the phone rang. My son said that Somali pirates had attacked their ship. The ship is now under their control."
Shahnoor Begum has urged the Prime Minister to intervene to rescue the 23 sailors, including her son, who are being held hostage by the pirates. "My son is our only support; other hostages are also like that to their families. Our Prime Minister is a mother! She will understand the pain of a mother! She should take quick action on this issue so that our sons are returned to us safe and sound!"
Atique's friend Julkar Naim, who came to the house, said, "On Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 pm, Atique sent me a voice message. He said, 'Pray for me, take care of my family.' There has been no contact since then."

[email protected]