Bangladeshi ship denied permission to cross Strait of Hormuz, forced to anchor again

A Bangladesh-flagged vessel, MV Banglar Joyjatra, which had been stranded in the Persian Gulf within the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of war centred on Iran, has once again been forced to anchor after being denied permission to pass through the strait.

After the Iran–United States ceasefire early on Wednesday, the vessel resumed its journey in an attempt to cross the Strait of Hormuz. However, on Thursday night, its crew sought clearance from Iranian authorities but were refused.

According to the crew, the vessel has since anchored near the Strait of Hormuz after failing to obtain permission. The ship, owned by the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC), has 31 Bangladeshi sailors on board.

The ship’s Chief Engineer Rashedul Hasan told Prothom Alo at around 3:00 pm on Friday, “After reaching a point approximately 60 nautical miles from Hormuz on Thursday night, we requested permission via radio from Iranian authorities. When permission was not granted, we moved a further 30 nautical miles forward and dropped anchor so that, if clearance is given, we can cross the strait within three to three-and-a-half hours.”

“The anchorage lies within international waters in the Persian Gulf. Many vessels are stationed nearby, all waiting to cross the Strait of Hormuz safely,” he added.

Data from the vessel-tracking platform MarineTraffic indicate that several ships have passed through the strait since Wednesday following the ceasefire.

However, despite the agreement, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have continued, prompting Iran to tighten controls on maritime movement through the strait.

The vessel has been operating in the Persian Gulf since 2 April, transporting cargo between regional ports. On 11 March, the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation had decided to recall the ship, but it was unable to leave due to similar restrictions.

Subsequently, the vessel loaded approximately 37,000 tonnes of fertiliser from Ras Al Khair port in Saudi Arabia, with Cape Town, South Africa, as its intended destination.

Despite the ceasefire, the vessel has once again failed to secure clearance to transit the Strait of Hormuz.