Let all anxieties end, and let the sailors return safely

The Bangladeshi flag carrier ship MV Abdullah has been seized by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. Atiq Ullah Khan, the ship's chief officer, conveyed a distressing message to his wife: "If they don't pay, they've ordered to kill them one by one." Throughout the week, Atiq Ullah Khan and his associates have dominated headlines in Bangladeshi media. In such circumstances, there is uncertainty about the possibility of returning home, just as sailors face the fear of not coming back, their families share the same concern.

Pictures of Atiq Ullah Khan's mother and two daughters have been published in the media. It is hard to take a picture at a time when their father is captured by the pirates. It was not easy. But pictures speak too. The worry in the minds of the mother and the two daughters is evident on their faces. When the father returns from a distant country, the daughters jump into his arms at that age. Even this time, they were surely waiting for their father to return; but instead, what kind of news arrived, which shattered their sleep.

Sailors keep the world economy running amid storms, vast waves of the sea, and adverse environments challenge. Among these challenges, piracy creates new crises in the lives of sailors. Sometimes, murders are committed to ensure ransom, and bodies are thrown into the sea. Sailors and their families know that this journey may the last one, but the question remains: as the world economy thrives, are we doing enough for them, even risking their lives? Piracy, not limited to Somalia, is prevalent in many countries worldwide. However, the infamy gained by Somali pirates, who attack large vessels at sea, may overshadow others.

The German information provider, Statista, reports that globally, from 2010 to 2022, there have been 3,130 incidents of piracy. In the waters off Somalia, from 2010 to 2015, there were 358 incidents, and from 2016 to 2022, there were 8 incidents. This means that nearly incidents of piracy occur every one and a half day, whether in Somalia or any other coastal region. The failure of the entire world to take effective action against this menace is a matter of concern. The primary reason behind piracy is often the higher potential earnings compared to other forms of business activities in these areas.

According to a BBC report, the World Bank has estimated the earnings of Somali pirates from 2005 to 2012, during an eight-year period. During this time, they collected ransom ranging from $350 million to $425 million. This means their annual income ranged from $43 million to $53 million. However, verifying the accuracy of this information is challenging. Verification of ransom amounts claimed by pirates is difficult. Shipping companies that pay ransoms consider them as part of their operational costs, thereby increasing the amount of dollars paid to pirates as part of their business skills. On the other hand, pirates do not disclose this. However, international media reports indicate that pirates lead luxurious lifestyles, often seen with expensive cars and houses. However, very few people in a country are directly involved in piracy. It's not that pirates are robbing wealth or collecting ransoms and distributing them among general people. The Somali government is not very interested in controlling piracy either. From the government to ordinary citizens, some news outlets even consider piracy as a somewhat normal occurrence. Interestingly, Somali news outlets have not reported any news about Bangladeshi ships being hijacked.

If we look back in history, we will see that the main reason for the emergence of Somali pirates is the unequal distribution of global wealth, the exploitation of the poor and marginalised, and the plundering of wealth by those left behind. Due to undemocratic practices and the inability to address people's grievances through democratic means, individuals from coastal areas have turned to piracy.

In 1960, Somalia gained independence from Italian colonisation. The total area of Somalia is 637,657 square kilometers. According to the 2023 estimates, the population of Somalia is 108.43 million. The population growth rate is not significantly high. Statistics show that from 1950 to 2024, the average population growth rate of this country has been slightly over three percent. It is essential to analyse why this country, with vast land and relatively small population, has become a failed state. Analysing this is crucial because efforts are being made to gradually steer any large community towards piracy to control them.

History tells us that during the mid-16th century, Somalia enjoyed a peaceful and serene environment. Despite economic shortages, people were able to sustain themselves by fishing in the calm waters of the sea. Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, powerful empires were expanding with the aim of territorial conquest. For their voyages, they chose unguarded sea routes. Thus, Somalia fell under Italian colonial rule, which lasted for over 300 years, during which the Italians exploited Somalia. After gaining independence, Somalia fell under military rule in 1969. Following a prolonged struggle, in 1991, after the inception of military rule, the country plunged into turmoil.

During military rule and extreme turmoil, European countries began dumping their nuclear and hospital waste along Somalia's coast. Pollution spread rapidly across the Somali coastline. At the same time, large European ships started stealing fish from the Somali coast. Ordinary Somalis in coastal villages began to realise that their seas were becoming devoid of fish. They took matters into their own hands and started attacking European ships. They understood that capturing these ships and demanding ransom for their release could bring them significant financial gains. Thus, ordinary Somalis, driven by desperation, turned into pirates from their coastal villages.

Since 1991, Somalis have been engaging in piracy, but it's from 2005 onwards that Somalis started modern piracy. During this time, members of the military joined various pirate groups. They incorporated modern weaponry with satellite communication. The general Somali population doesn't just support this piracy; they believe it's their only means of defending their coastline. As a result, merely attempting to control piracy won't work; it's essential to break this perception among the general populace. It's the responsibility of the international community to utilise this fearful situation arising from prolonged civil unrest in Somalia to ensure that no sailor or their families have to live in fear anymore.