We the people of the country have heaved a sigh of relief as Bangladeshi vessel MV Abdullah, which was released with all 23 crew members on April 14 after 31 days of captivity by Somali pirates, has finally returned home, ending a long wait and anxiety of the families.
On 12 March, the ship carrying 55,000 tonnes of coal from Mozambique to Dubai was hijacked by the Somali pirates along with 23 sailors. We are very grateful that all of our sailors have returned home safely and they are safe and sound. It was unprecedented to rescue the hostages in such a short period of time. However, it has become possible due to the efforts of everyone in the global maritime sector and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of Shipping and the International Maritime Wing.
We extend our sincere thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Shipping, International Maritime Wing, European Naval Force, Indian Navy and Somali Police as all of them cooperated in rescuing the ship and its crew members. The family members of the sailors will now be able to celebrate the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha with great joy and festivity. A festive mood is now prevailing among the family members of the crew members for their safe return.
Commercial ships often face dangers as armed pirates attack and capture them in the waters of the sea. The situation is worsening day by day, raising questions about the ship’s security systems and why ships are targeted by pirates despite being far from the typical high-risk zone.
We are very grateful that
all of our sailors have
returned home safely
Ships usually travel through the Indian Ocean, considered a safer route, to avoid any attacks by Somali pirates. The area within 70 to 100 nautical miles of the Somali coast is marked as a high-risk area, according to media reports.
Yet, the MV Abdullah’s course was well beyond this zone, making the attack unusual as Somali pirates rarely target the route. Maritime experts lay emphasis on the importance of adhering to international rules for security measures when navigating near the Somali coast in the future.
The hijacking of MV Abdullah reminds us of the capture of another vessel MV Jahan Moni owned by the same company. MV Jahan Moni was captured by pirates 14 years ago on its way to Greece. According to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) guidelines under Best Management Practices (BMP), ships traversing high-risk areas must follow specific security protocols.
These include hiring armed guards, securing the ship’s perimeter, employing tactical navigation and consulting the crew’s expertise. Industry veterans noted the absence of a security system on the MV Abdullah.
Nowadays, commercial vessels sailing through the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea adopt various measures to prevent pirate attacks.
Although MV Abdullah was well beyond the danger zone, it was sailing without any escort or armed guards on board, making the ship an easy target. The IMO and other maritime organisations offer guidelines for navigating ‘high-risk areas’ and advice on precautions near the Somali coast.
