Bangladesh Ship Fails to Transit Strait of Hormuz

Heightened tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel have prevented the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) vessel MV Banglar Joyjatra from safely navigating the Strait of Hormuz. On Thursday, the vessel attempted to return to Bangladesh via the strategic waterway but was forced to turn back into the Persian Gulf due to credible threats of missile attacks.

BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek confirmed that 31 Bangladeshi sailors are currently aboard the vessel. To ensure their safety and secure the ship’s passage, a formal communication has been sent to the Ministry of Shipping, requesting that diplomatic channels through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs be activated.

According to MarineTraffic data, MV Banglar Joyjatra is presently anchored off the coast of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Crew members reported that on 12 March, while approximately 66 nautical miles from the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, they received warnings of potential missile attacks. Following directives from the UAE Coast Guard, the vessel repositioned to a secure anchorage.

BSC sources detail that the ship, carrying cargo from India, initially transited the Strait of Hormuz on 2 February to enter the Persian Gulf. After loading steel coils at a Qatari port, it arrived at the port of Jebel Ali, UAE, on 27 February. The subsequent escalation of hostilities between Israel and the United States, and Iran’s countermeasures in the region, rapidly intensified the security risk for merchant vessels.

Plans were in place for the vessel to reload cargo at a port in Kuwait; however, the volatile situation led BSC to prioritise the crew’s safety, redirecting the ship to a safer location.

A summary of MV Banglar Joyjatra’s recent movements is presented below:

Commodore Malek further stated that as the vessel remains in the vicinity of the Hormuz region, BSC is arranging for it to reload new cargo from Qatar once conditions stabilise.

This is not the first time a BSC vessel has faced regional hostilities. During the Russia–Ukraine conflict on 2 March 2022, the MV Banglar Samriddhi was struck by a Russian missile, resulting in the death of engineer Hadisur Rahman and the rescue of 28 stranded Bangladeshi sailors.

In response to the current crisis, BSC and the Ministry of Shipping are actively coordinating diplomatic and security measures to ensure safe navigation of Bangladeshi vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.