The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) vessel Banglar Joyjatra has failed to cross the Strait of Hormuz despite earlier hopes following the Iran–Israel–US ceasefire.
Captain Shafiqul Islam Khan halted the ship’s voyage after it reached close to the strait, as the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) did not grant clearance.
Speaking to Times of Bangladesh via WhatsApp around 12:30pm on Friday, the captain said the vessel currently remains anchored at Mina Saqr outer port limits (OPL) in the UAE, about 36 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz.
“IRGC denied permission. We are waiting for the reopening of the strait or clearance. Many loaded bulk carriers are also anchored here awaiting passage,” he said.
He added that the ship attempted to cross the strait a day earlier, but navigation suspended again amid renewed regional tensions. Although 17 vessels crossed during the brief ceasefire period, shipping operations have again been disrupted following fresh instability, including Israel’s attack on Lebanon.
The Banglar Joyjatra left for the Strait of Hormuz at around 8:30am last Wednesday. The vessel, carrying phosphate fertiliser from Saudi Arabia, was bound for Cape Town, South Africa, and was scheduled to cross the strait at midnight on Thursday. However, authorities suspended maritime movement before it reached the passage.
The BSC-owned ship carries 31 Bangladeshi sailors.
Earlier, the vessel reached Jebel Ali Port in the UAE on 27 February after transporting steel coils from Qatar. The next day, on 28 February, the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, triggering retaliatory strikes by Iran across the Middle East and escalating tensions in the region.
According to BSC, a missile hit a nearby oil depot while the ship was unloading cargo at Jebel Ali Port. After completing operations, the vessel initially anchored about 60 miles off the Strait of Hormuz. It was later moved to Sharjah for safety due to continued missile threats.
At one stage, Banglar Joyjatra was among six ships reportedly approved by Iranian authorities for Bangladesh. However, BSC has not yet received formal confirmation of that clearance.
