The Crime Desk: Somali pirates have demanded a ransom of 50 million dollars to release 23 sailors held hostage on the Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah, which was captured by pirates in the Indian Ocean. They also threatened to kill them one by one if they didn’t pay soon.
MV Abdullah is one of 23 vessels owned by Chittagong’s Kabir Group. Its product transportation capacity is 58 thousand tons. The vessel belongs to SR Shipping Limited, a subsidiary of Kabir Group. The cargo ship was en route to Al-Hamriya port in the United Arab Emirates from Mozambique via the Indian Ocean with coal. The destination was Dubai.
Somali pirates boarded the ship at 1.30 p.m. Bangladesh time on its way to the United Arab Emirates from Maputo port in Mozambique. The ship has 55 thousand tons of coal. All 23 sailors on board are Bangladeshis.
The hostages of 23 sailors are the ship’s master, Mohammad Abdur Rashid, chief officer Atiq Ullah Khan, second officer Mozaherul Islam Chowdhury, third officer N Mohammad Tarekul Islam, deck cadet Sabbir Hossain, chief engineer ASM Saiduzzaman, second engineer Md. Taufiqul Islam, and third engineer. Rokan Uddin, Fourth Engineer Tanveer Ahmed, Engineer Cadet Ayub Khan, Electrician Ibrahim Khalil Ullah, Crew Md. Anwarul Haque, Md. Asifur Rahman, Md. Sajjad Hossain, Joy Mahmud, Md. Nazmul Haque, Ainul Haque, Mohammad Shamsuddin, Md. Ali Hossain, Mosharraf Hossain Shakeel, Md. Shariful Islam, Md. Nur Uddin, and Md. Saleh Ahmad.
After the hostages were taken, they were kept in a cabin. The sailors then sent a few video messages from their mobile phones, but communication has been cut off since they were seized by the pirates. The ship has 20–25 days of food. It is said to have 200 tons of fresh water.
The vessel is owned by SR Shipping Limited, a subsidiary of Kabir Group of Chittagong. Mizanul Islam, the group’s media adviser, told the media today that there is nothing to be upset about. Such incidents happen often. We also have past experience. Hopefully, I can bring back the sailor and the ship. Assistance from intermediary agencies and British insurance companies will be sought if necessary.
