State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said on Wednesday measures are being taken to ensure the safe return of the crew members aboard the hijacked Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah.
"Appropriate steps are being taken to ensure the safe return of the crew. But it's difficult to predict when exactly the crew will be rescued. The captors are not ordinary individuals; they are pirates," said the state minister during a press briefing at his Secretariat office earlier today.
"However, we are actively engaging with organisations capable of negotiating with the pirates. Our commitment remains unwavering – we will rescue both the crew and the ship at any cost," he added.
Highlighting the current location of the vessel, Khalid said, "The ship is currently 600 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia. However, the identity of the pirates involved is still unclear."
He further informed that both the foreign ministry and Bangladesh Navy have been informed about the situation, seeking their assistance in the rescue mission.
"Our utmost priority is the safe return of the 23 crew members," he reiterated.
The state minister said, "We have received reports indicating that the crew members are in good health and are safe."
Responding to queries regarding seeking assistance from neighboring countries, particularly India, the state minister said, "We have already initiated discussions with our counterparts in India regarding this matter."
Additionally, he clarified that no official communication has been received regarding threats to the crew's lives in exchange for ransom.