Stranded Bangladeshi Crew Returns Home from Gulf War Zone

The Bangladeshi crew members of the state-owned cargo vessel Banglar Joyjatra returned safely to Dhaka on Tuesday evening following nearly four months of containment in the Persian Gulf amid escalating military conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

The crew landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on a flight from Durban, South Africa, where they were warmly received by officials from the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation and waiting family members.

Speaking at a press conference at the airport, Captain Mohammad Shafiqul Islam described the severe conditions in the Gulf during their 115-day entrapment. Islam noted that navigating near active conflict zones resulted in significant psychological trauma for mariners across multiple stranded ships, with several vessels sinking and crews facing critical shortages of food and water.

"By the grace of God, we have been given a second life," Captain Islam said, expressing gratitude for national support. He recounted a near-miss incident at UAE's Jebel Ali Port when a missile struck an adjacent oil tanker, triggering a massive fire that posed an immediate threat to their vessel.

Former Commanding Officer Pronoy Krishna Sen added that the crew had to rely on manual navigation after satellite GPS systems became inoperable in the area, maneuvering carefully through waters laden with naval mines.

The vessel originally entered the Gulf in early February before becoming trapped when hostilities broke out. After receiving clearance from Iranian forces, the ship successfully cleared the Strait of Hormuz on June 23, allowing the crew to begin their journey home.