23 MV Abdullah sailors to return to their families today

The 23 sailors of MV Abdullah, the Bangladeshi flag carrier ship which was recently freed from the captivity of Somali pirates, will return to their families around 4pm this afternoon (14 May). 

On the occasion of their return, the Chittagong Port Authority is organising a reception at the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT), where the sailors' family members will be present. 

After the reception, the sailors will return home with their families.

MV Abdullah anchored at the Kutubdia Anchorage area at 6pm last evening (13 May). A new team of 23 sailors reached the ship around 8:30pm. 

"The new sailors took charge of the ship the same night," said Meherul Karim, CEO of Kabir Group, the owner of MV Abdullah. 

The 23 freed sailors are onboard a lighter vessel, MV Jahan Moni 3, and will arrive at NCT-1 jetty in Chattogram port around 4pm, said Mohammed Omar Faruk, secretary of the Chittagong Port Authority.

The sailors' families are making various arrangements to welcome their loved ones home, with numerous plans on how to greet them.

"I am eagerly waiting to hold my son. I am cooking his favourite food, shutki bhorta [dried fish paste] and shrimp," said Lutfe Ara Begum, mother of Ainul Haq Abir, one of the 23 sailors. 

"I have been hoping and waiting for his safe return since he was taken hostage," she said, expressing gratitude to the ship owner and the government for quickly freeing her son and other sailors from the Somali pirates.

In an audio message, Abdur Rashid, the master of MV Abdullah, said the 23 sailors are in good health.

The 23 crew members of MV Abdullah are: Captain Mohammad Abdur Rashid, Chief Officer Md Atiq Ullah Khan, Second Officer Mozaherul Islam Chowdhury, Third Officer N Mohammad Tarekul Islam, Deck Cadet Md Sabbir Hossain, Chief Engineer ASM Saieduzzaman, Second Engineer Md Toufiqul Islam, Third Engineer Md Rokon Uddin, Fourth Engineer Tanvir Ahmed, Engine Cadet Ayub Khan, Electrician Ibrahim Khalil Ullah, Able Seaman (AB) Mohammad Anowarul Haq, Md Asifur Rahman, Md Sajjad Hossain, Joy Mahmud, Ordinary Seaman (OS) Md Nazmul Haq, Oiler Ainul Haq, Mohammad Shamsuddin, Md Ali Hossen, Fireman Mosharraf Hossen Shakil, Chief Cook Md Shafiqul Islam, General Steward (GS) Mohammad Nur Uddin, and Fitter Mohammad Saleh Ahmed.

The ship with the new team on board, carrying 56,000 tons of limestone, will first offload some limestone to lighter ships at Kutubdia. The new 23 sailors will then bring the ship near Patenga, where the remaining cargo will be unloaded.

On 12 March, MV Abdullah, carrying 55,000 tonnes of coal from Mozambique to Dubai, was captured by Somali pirates, along with 23 of its sailors.

The ship was freed after paying a ransom to the pirates on 14 April.

This is the second time that pirates have hijacked a Bangladeshi ship. 

Earlier in 2010, the same company's MV Jahan Moni ship was hijacked by Somali pirates. At that time, 26 people were on board, including 25 crew and the captain's wife. 

They were rescued and brought back to the country with the ship after 100 days.