MV Banglar Joyjatra remains stranded outside the Strait of Hormuz despite weeks of diplomatic engagement by the Bangladesh government, ministerial correspondence with Iran and repeated assurances of verbal approval, leaving the Bangladeshi-flagged vessel unable to continue its voyage amid renewed regional tensions.
The vessel has been waiting at the Sharjah Open Port Limits (OPL) in the United Arab Emirates since military tensions escalated in the Persian Gulf. Since the outbreak of the Iran-US-Israel conflict in late February, the ship has attempted to transit the Strait of Hormuz at least three times, but each attempt has failed because the required clearance could not be obtained.
Diplomatic efforts fail to produce results
Following the ship’s prolonged delay, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) formally approached the Ministry of Shipping seeking government intervention. The ministry subsequently referred the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting diplomatic communication with the Iranian authorities to facilitate the vessel’s passage.
BSC officials later said Iranian authorities had granted permission for six ships carrying Bangladeshi cargo to transit the Strait of Hormuz. At a recent press briefing, BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek said the corporation had been verbally informed that MV Banglar Joyjatra was among those six vessels. However, no written clearance or official confirmation was received from the Iranian authorities.
Shipping Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam publicly acknowledged the issue after attending the passing-out parade of the 28th batch of ratings at the National Maritime Institute in Chattogram on 18 April.
“The government has intensified diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue of MV Banglar Joyjatra passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Diplomatic work is continuing so that the problem can be resolved quickly,” he told reporters.
Despite those efforts, the vessel remains unable to leave the Persian Gulf.
Strait closed again
Master of MV Banglar Joyjatra Captain Shafiqul Islam told TIMES of Bangladesh on Sunday afternoon that the ship narrowly missed another opportunity to cross.
“After a few priority vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz, the route was closed again. As a result, we could not proceed. We are now waiting at the Sharjah OPL. We will resume our voyage once the strait reopens or if we are placed on the priority list,” he said.
There are 31 Bangladeshi sailors aboard the vessel.
Captain Shafiqul Islam said the crew remains in good spirits. The ship replenished fresh supplies from Sharjah on 17 June and now has sufficient drinking water and essential food stocks for at least three months.
“We remain hopeful that we will be able to leave soon. Once we reach South Africa, many crew members will sign off and return home,” he said.
He added that the ship’s cargo of chemical fertiliser remains completely safe. Such cargo normally has a shelf life of five to six months, meaning there is no risk of spoilage despite the prolonged delay.
No financial loss for BSC
Although the vessel has remained stranded for months, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation says it has not suffered any financial losses.
According to Commodore Mahmudul Malek, MV Banglar Joyjatra is operating under a time-charter agreement.
“Under the charter contract, BSC continues to receive approximately $20,000 per day. Therefore, the corporation has not incurred any financial loss despite the vessel remaining stranded,” he said.
He added that internet bandwidth aboard the vessel has been increased to allow regular communication between the crew and their families, while all necessary food and water supplies have been ensured.
Explaining why the vessel has still not been allowed to transit despite Bangladesh’s diplomatic efforts, Commodore Mahmudul Malek said the rapidly changing security situation in the region has rendered diplomatic initiatives ineffective.
“The current Iran-US-Israel situation is so volatile that Bangladesh’s diplomatic communication with Iran has not been enough to secure passage. After the Iran-US ceasefire understanding, Iran briefly eased shipping restrictions, but following subsequent Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the Strait of Hormuz was closed again,” he said.
Following last Thursday’s announcement of an Iran-US memorandum of understanding, commercial shipping through the strait resumed briefly. During that period, MV Banglar Joyjatra attempted to cross but was unable to obtain the necessary clearance and had to return once more.
The vessel had arrived at Jebel Ali Port in the United Arab Emirates on 27 February after loading steel coils in Qatar. A day later, military strikes involving the United States and Israel against Iran triggered a sharp escalation in regional tensions, leaving the ship stranded in the Persian Gulf ever since.
