‘Banglar Joyjatra’ crosses Hormuz after 115 days
At long last, MV Banglar Joyjatra has crossed the Strait of Hormuz. The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) vessel passed through Hormuz at around 3:00 am today, Tuesday (Bangladesh time).
The vessel had been stranded in the Persian Gulf for 115 days because of the Iran war. It crossed Hormuz only after receiving clearance from Iranian forces on Monday, bringing to an end the long wait of the 31 Bangladeshi sailors on board.
At 8:00 am on Tuesday, the website of ship-tracking agency MarineTraffic showed that, after crossing Hormuz, MV Banglar Joyjatra was heading towards Fujairah port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The vessel was travelling at a speed of seven nautical miles.
The ship’s chief engineer, Rashedul Hasan, told Prothom Alo via WhatsApp this morning, “We crossed Hormuz at 3:12 am on Tuesday, Bangladesh time, shortly after the first hour of the day. We will reach Fujairah port in the UAE at 4:00 pm today.”
“The long wait is over. We are all happy. It feels as though we have tasted freedom after a very long time,” he added.
According to Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, while the vessel was passing through the risky waters of the Strait of Hormuz, Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam, State Minister Rajib Ahsan, and senior officials of the ministry and BSC monitored every movement of the ship round the clock and provided live guidance.
BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek told Prothom Alo on Tuesday that although the Strait of Hormuz has not yet been fully reopened, vessels are being allowed to pass on a limited scale with Iran’s permission. Through a concerted effort, Banglar Joyjatra was able to make the crossing.
Carrying goods from India, Banglar Joyjatra entered the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on 2 February. It later loaded steel coils at a port in Qatar and reached Jebel Ali port in the UAE on 27 February. The following day, the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Once the conflict began, the vessel became stranded in the Persian Gulf because of security risks.
Officials of the vessel said that after the war began, it had tried at least three times to cross the Strait of Hormuz, but without success. At last, after 114 days of waiting, that uncertainty came to an end today.