Father rushes to BSC office after son's message about attack on ship

Relatives of the sailors on a stranded Bangladeshi vessel in Ukraine rushed to the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) office on Thursday after a sailor was killed in a missile attack.

Md Obaidul Haque's son Masum Billah is stuck on the ship in Ukraine.

Obaidul Haque said, "His son sent a message after the missile attack. They are all in a panic. I implore the government to bring back our children."

Obaidul Haque from Sonagazi of Feni lives in Katgor of Chattogram. This was his son's second voyage.

Bangladeshi vessel MV Banglar Samriddhi anchored at Ukraine’s Olvia port on 23 February. The ship was stranded on the following day when Russia began its attack on Ukraine. Hadisur Rahman, a sailor on the ship, was killed in missile attack on Wednesday.

Abdullah Al Mamun, brother-in-law of electrical engineer Masudur Rahman on the ship, also rushed to the BSC office to know what steps have been taken for rescue.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said Masudur Rahman's elderly parents, his wife and two children, are anxious. They are from Pangsha, Rajbari.

Another sailor Md Hanif's son Md Kaisar Hamid also came to the BSC office for news of his father.

"I had a communicated with my father with a message before the attack. He said he is well. We could not contact him after the attack. Rescue all sailors including my father," he appealed.

Sajjad Ibne Alam from Feni went on the voyage for the first time.

His brother Nazrul Islam said, "My brother has fallen into danger for the first time. We request the government to rescue the sailors."

Bangladesh Shipping Corporation is an agency under the shipping ministry.

The cargo vessel Banglar Samriddhi has at Olivia port of Ukraine from 24 February.

There were 29 Bangladeshi sailors aboard the ship. Russia began the attack that morning. There are 28 sailors on board now.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo online edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.