Eid means a day of family, joy and spending time with loved ones. However, this time, that Eid was spent at sea, thousands of miles away from their families. 31 sailors of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation’s (BSC) ship 'Banglar Joyjatra' spent Eid-ul-Azha on the deck of the ship, waiting for uncertainty and returning home.
On Wednesday, at 10 am local time, the Eid congregation was held on the ship’s navigation bridge. The ship’s master Captain Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan led all the sailors in prayers. After the Eid Namaz, the prayers included prayers for the country, family and relatives. However, there was only one question on everyone’s mind – when will they return home?
They also spent the previous Eid-ul-Fitr floating at sea. At that time, they hoped to return to their families on Eid-ul-Adha. But that hope was also shattered due to the unstable geopolitics of the Middle East.
Earlier, on February 27, the Bengali ship reached Jebel Ali port in the United Arab Emirates with steel coils from Qatar. The next day, new tensions and conflicts began in the Middle East surrounding Iran, the United States and Israel. The Bangladeshi ship was caught amid the crisis centered on the Strait of Hormuz.
Later, on April 8, although the ceasefire came into effect, the ship has not yet been allowed to leave the Persian Gulf. Due to Iran's strict restrictions, the sailors are unable to cross the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, although many ships from different countries have been sailing with permission at the same time, the Bangladeshi ship has not yet received the green light.
Just as the family members of the sailors are spending their days in anxiety, the lives of the people on the ship have also come to a standstill. Even though Eid meals, small events or exchanging greetings with colleagues may bring a smile to their faces for a while, the uncertainty in their hearts has not gone away.
Captain Shafiqul Islam Khan said, “I am not sure yet when we will be able to cross the Strait of Hormuz. Being stuck at sea for a long time has become very difficult mentally.”
The 31 sailors, who have been stuck in an international political crisis for three months, are now just counting the days. Every sunrise is a new wait for them, and every night is a longing prayer to return to their loved ones.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
