Dhaka: Seven Bangladeshi abducted crew, who were kidnapped from sinking Malaysian-flag vessel MV Albedo on July 7 off the coast of Somalia, are still alive.

Foreign ministry remained pro-actively engaged with all concerned, both at home and abroad to rescue them.

Foreign Ministry confirmed the matter through a press release.

Following the kidnapping incident, Bangladesh sought all-out support of the Secretary General, International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, took up the matter as a priority issue and gave instructions to all concerned for speedy and safe release of the Bangladeshi crews. 

The press release said, it has been primarily confirmed through Maritime Piracy and Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP) based in London, quoting sources in the UN Office for Somalia, Nairobi, that the seven Bangladeshi crews are alive and have now been shifted to another hijacked fishing vessel by the pirates.

The crew members are Golam Mostofa, Habibur Rahman, Nurul Haque, Abul Kashem Sardar, Aminul Islam, Jakir Hossain and Limon.

In addition to the series of steps taken by the Ministry to get them released, it has been continuously maintaining communications through informal channels with relevant authorities including MPHRP.

Ministry also sought the support of the MPHRP so that they can make efforts to convince the Malaysian Government in this regard.

On Ministry’s specific request, a team from MPHRP visited Kuala

Lumpur and had a meeting with the officials of the National Security Council of Malaysia where a representative from the Bangladesh High Commission was also present along with the officials from the Missions of  India and Sri Lanka .

Following series of meetings and interactions with the Malaysian side, Malaysian authorities informed that they were unable to use their good offices as the Malaysian owner had already abandoned the ship.

A  team from the   MPHRP  was also invited to Bangladesh  to share their perspective  to get the crews  released in particular and to  familiarize with possible  strategies  to meet  such emergencies,  in general. 

On Ministry’s initiative, the team members also visited the family members of the abducted crews. Furthermore, following   Ministry’s request, the organization has been paying  US$ 200 dollar per month  to four needy families of the hostages.

The seven Bangladeshi crew members, who had been abducted from a sinking vessel off Somali coast on July 7, are alive and have been shifted to another hijacked fishing boat by pirates, claims the government.

According to the foreign ministry, the update has been primarily confirmed through London-based Maritime Piracy and Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP) that contacted sources in the UN office for Somalia, Nairobi.

In a press release the foreign ministry yesterday said it had learnt that the Bangladeshi crew members of the Malaysian flag vessel MV Albedo that reportedly sank on July 7 off the coast of Somalia were on board before the ship had capsized.

Apart from Bangladesh, the crew of the ship were from India, Sri Lanka, Iran and Pakistan.

But the release of the abductees has become uncertain as the Malaysian authorities informed that they were unable to use their offices since the ship’s owner had already abandoned the vessel.

The foreign ministry said it remained actively engaged with all concerned, both at home and abroad, for speedy release and safe return of the Bangladeshi crew members.

It said the authorities concerned in Malaysia had been approached as the ship owner is a Malaysian national. The high commissioner of Malaysia in Dhaka had also been called at the ministry and she was asked to use their good offices. Bangladesh High Commission in Nairobi had also been instructed to maintain close liaison with the UN office for Somalia.

The ministry has urged the media to refrain from any incorrect information, which might complicate the issue further and undermine the efforts by the government.

As of paying ransom to the hijackers, the foreign ministry noted that as a matter of principle, no government, including the government of Bangladesh, can pay ransom to any such case of piracy.

Ends/AMA/15/07/13