2024-03-13 14:09:04
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said that the sailors of the Bangladeshi ship held hostage by pirates are safe and sound. The government is taking appropriate steps to bring back those sailors safely, the state minister said, adding that the prime minister has given necessary instructions to the foreign ministry in this regard.
The Minister of State said this while replying to the questions of journalists in the meeting regarding the smooth movement of watercraft including ferries, steamers, launches and the safety of passengers during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr at the Secretariat on Wednesday (March 13).
When asked about the progress of rescuing the hijacked ship, the Minister of Maritime Affairs said that we are determined to bring the sailors back to Bangladesh at any cost.
Expressing the concern of the families of the hostage sailors, the state minister said, “We are feeling how the days of their family members are going. The Prime Minister gave instructions to the Foreign Minister. He has also spoken in other places. Appropriate steps are being taken to bring the sailors back to Bangladesh safely.
He said, who are the pirates, it is not yet identified. That region is Somali, it could be said. However, it is difficult to say who it is (Somali pirates).
When asked how much time it would take to bring back the sailors, Khalid Mahmud said, those who are controlling the ship now, they are not human beings, they are pirates. Talking to people I can schedule, so many meetings we can finish. It’s about pirates. Pirates and humans are not the same. Hence, the time cannot be precisely stated here.
But we are determined to bring our sailors back to Bangladesh safe and sound, he said.
The Minister of State for Shipping said, ‘Department of Shipping, as many maritime wings as there are, are working. Together we can bring it about. We are not sitting. I have not deviated from it for a moment since yesterday afternoon, I am always connected.’
“We have informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about this. We have asked for everyone’s cooperation to save the ship. The first thing we focus on is that there are 23 sailors on board, keeping the lives of those 23 sailors safe, saving their lives and bringing them to a safe place is our first task.’
He said, ‘The pirates who have occupied the ship, detained the sailors, are under their control. The sailors are still safe and sound.’
India’s cooperation has been sought in rescuing the ship, he said, adding that how they will cooperate will be implemented through the Ministry of External Affairs and international wings.