Bangladeshi sailors being evacuated from stranded ship in Ukraine

The authorities have started evacuating 28 crew members stranded on a Bangladeshi ship at Alvia port in the war-torn Ukraine.

The authorities have taken up a plan to shift the body of Hadisur Rahman who was killed in missile attack on Wednesday.

The surviving sailors will be taken to a neighouring country.

Foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen made the disclosure following an inter-ministerial meeting on Thursday.

A Bangladeshi ship named Banglar Samriddhi, which was stranded in Ukraine’s port Alvia, came under missile attack on Wednesday.

“Russia has assured us of extending all cooperation in shifting the surviving 28 sailors and the body of deceased sailor to a safer place,” Masud Bin Momen said.

He said the shipping ministry has issued a letter today, Thursday giving the sailors a nod to abandon the ship due to war situation and the concerned authorities in Ukraine has been informed of the decision.

Masud Bin Momen said the 28 sailors are being evacuated to a safer place but they will probably be taken to a bunker or other place. They will be taken to any neighboring country later.

He also said the situation of Ukraine-Poland border has become complex due to influx of people fleeing the war.

Asked what will happen to Bangladeshi flag-carrier vessel ‘Banglar Samriddhi’, the foreign secretary said there is no alternative to abandon the ship.

It will be risky to move the ship as mines are planted in the surrounding area, he said.

Banglar Samriddhi, a bulk carrier owned by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, left for Alvia port to load ball clay from Turkey’s Eregli port on 21 February. The ship anchored in Ukrainian port two days later. The ship got stuck at the port as the Russia attacked Ukraine the following day.