Hijacked MV Abdullah: ‘No Eid joy for us this year’

This year's Eid will be one of desolation for the families of the 23 crew members held hostage by the Somali pirates who have hijacked Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah.

After being assured by SR Shipping, the ship's owning firm, the families were hoping to have their loved ones with them or at least hear about their release before Eid-ul-Fitr.

Their wait, however, lingers on.

Caught in a whirl of fear and worries, the families have refrained from any celebratory preparations for the occasion. Rather, they have been spending sleepless and tense nights.

The pirates attacked MV Abdullah on March 12 around 1:30pm (Bangladesh time), when the vessel was around 600 nautical miles off the Somali coast, sailing from Maputo in Mozambique to Al Hamriyah in the UAE.

The ship is currently anchored near the Somali coast.

This correspondent visited the rented home of crew member and oiler of the ship Ainul Hoque in the port city's Ashkardighi area yesterday afternoon.

Ainul's mother Lutfa Ara Begum was alone in the quiet flat, as her younger son had gone out. Sorrow hung heavy in the air.

"We are not in the mood to celebrate so there are no preparations for Eid this year. We are not doing well," she said with a world of worry etched on her face.

After losing her husband to Covid-19 in 2021, her two sons are all she has. Ainul, who joined the mariner's job in 2016, consequently became the sole breadwinner of the family of three.

Since the hijacking of the ship, Lutfa had barely slept and has fallen ill twice.

"Even sleeping pills don't help … I don't like staying on my own with so much tension. I asked my younger son to not stay out of home for too long."

She said they had high hopes after top officials of SR Shipping at an iftar assured the families that the hostages would be released before Eid. "But it now seems it will take more time."

Last Friday, the pirates  had allowed Ainul to call his mother.

"He said they were suffering from a severe crisis of water. They have so far been allowed to bathe twice a week and from next week they might be allowed to do so only once a week. It's tougher for my son since he has to work in a heated engine room.

"All I pray for now is the safe and quick return of all the crew members. May Allah guide the pirates to the right path so they release the hostages soon."

General steward Mohammad Noor Uddin's family too were refraining from Eid preparations. His wife, toddler son and elderly mother live in his home in South Sahmirpur of Chattogram's Karnaphuli upazila.

"There is no Eid joy for us this year. We don't even have time to think about shopping with so much worries for my husband," Noor's wife Jannatul Ferdous said.

"It will be Eid for us only when my husband will be released and back home safe."

Fourth Engineer Tanveer Ahmad's mother Josna Begum has been in a state of discomfort since the incident.

"If there is no peace in my mind, how can I enjoy Eid? I will spend the day praying to Allah for the safe return of my son."

According to sources, negotiations with the pirates for the release of the hostages are almost at the final stage. The owning firm is taking preparations for the next steps, including sending the ransom money.

Officials SR Shipping, a subsidiary of KSRM Group, however, are yet to confirm the finalising of negotiations.

Mizanul Islam, media adviser to KSRM Group, said, "There is progress in talks with the pirates. But no specific date or time has been fixed yet."

The officials said they are now hoping that the hostages would be freed and brought back home within a couple weeks after Eid.