State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury has reassured that the sailors of the Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah – currently held hostage by Somali pirates – remain safe and sound, adding that the government is taking measures to ensure their safe return.

“So far, we came to know that the crew members held hostage by the pirates in the Indian Ocean are safe.

No video message reached our hand that the sailors are in a troublesome situation,” he said at the onset of a meeting convened at the secretariat on Wednesday to strategise the smooth operation of ferries, steamers, launches, and the safety of passengers during Eid-ul-Fitr.

Highlighting the paramount importance of safeguarding the lives of the 23 sailors, Khalid Mahmud stressed the government’s dedicated efforts in this regard.

He said that protecting seafarers and facilitating rescue operations are top priorities, with the Ministry of External Affairs actively engaging in international affairs to this end.

Despite the ship being under pirate control in the Indian Ocean, Khalid Mahmud assured continuous communication and reiterated the government’s resolve to bring the sailors back to Bangladesh safely, irrespective of the challenges.

Bangladesh flag ship MV Abdullah with 23 sailors on board with coal from Mozambique to Dubai was hijacked by Somalian pirates in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday.

Responding to inquiries regarding the progress of the rescue mission, the state minister expressed determination to retrieve the sailors at any cost.

However, he refrained from providing a specific timeline, citing the complexity of the situation and the difficulty in predicting outcomes.