Thirty-one sailors of the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation vessel MV Banglar Joyjatra have been stranded for seven days at Jebel Ali port in the United Arab Emirates, caught in the middle of intensifying regional hostilities. Captain Md Shafiqul Islam Khan reported through a video message on March 5 that the crew faces daily missile and drone activity near the port, with explosions occasionally shaking the area. The ship arrived from Qatar on February 26 carrying 38,800 tons of steel coil, but unloading was halted as tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel escalated from February 28.

The captain described the situation as the most perilous in his three-decade career, with a missile recently striking an oil storage facility just 200 meters from the vessel. Although the ship has sufficient food and water, the crew remains deeply anxious about their safety. Families in Bangladesh are distraught as communication continues under fear and uncertainty.

Bangladesh Shipping Corporation’s managing director Commodore Mahmudul Malek said the government and embassy are closely monitoring the situation and have prepared evacuation plans if conditions worsen.