Talks with pirates at advanced stage: Foreign Minister

Commenting on the probability of freeing the Bangladeshi sailors held hostage by Somali pirates, Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said talks with pirates have progressed to free the sailors of the MV Abdullah held hostage off the coast of Somalia.

Mentionable, the sailors are at present, being held hostage, at the mercy of globally notorious pirates of Somalia, an East African country beside the Red sea.

“We are making all-out efforts to bring them home. Everything possible by us are being conducted. Talks are ongoing with the pirates in a very friendly manner,” he said while addressing a views exchange with journalists at the YNT Centre at Dewanji Pond in Chattogram city on Saturday (April 6) afternoon.

In reply to a query, the minister said, “The health condition of the sailors is fine. There is no problem with their meals, they are in the cabin. As negotiations have progressed far, we hope it will be possible to release them soon.”

On the afternoon of March 12, the ship MV Abdullah, owned by SR Shipping of Bangladesh's Kabir Group, a forcefully captured by armed Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. The ship was carrying 55,000 tonnes of coal from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates. All of the 23 hostages are Bangladeshis.

After taking control of the ship at gunpoint, the pirates sailed it to the coast of Somalia. After reaching there, the position of the ship was repeatedly changed. Nine days after the hijacking, the pirates were contacted by the ship's owner through a third party.

Hasan Mahmud said, "Foreign ships are also ready around that ship. In addition to negotiations, there is also pressure on the hijackers. We hope that the ship and sailors will be freed soon. It is not possible to tell the date. However, much progress has been made in this regard.”

Meanwhile, on information about the pirate attack on the ship, Abdullah was followed by warships of the Indian Navy and warships of Operation Atlanta of the European Union Naval Force. But the raid was not possible as the sailors were held hostage at gunpoint.

Bangladesh itself did not agree to any kind of rescue operation by International forces. The owner of the ship has repeatedly said that like in the past, they want to free the sailor and the ship by paying ransom.