Bangladeshi Seafarer Recounts 115 Day Ordeal in Persian Gulf

Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, a 51 year old Bangladeshi mariner, was stranded on the high seas of the Persian Gulf for 115 days during a period of conflict. As captain of the Banglar Joyjatra, a bulk carrier chartered by a Singapore based company, Islam was responsible for 31 lives, a ship valued at 40 million dollars, and cargo worth 8.2 million dollars. The vessel had loaded 39,000 tonnes of steel coils at Qatar's Mesaieed Port and reached Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates on February 26. On February 28, Islam witnessed a missile strike hit an oil storage facility approximately 200 meters away. Following attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran in February, the Strait of Hormuz became paralyzed and commercial shipping was repeatedly targeted in Iranian attacks. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps denied the Joyjatra permission to proceed through the strait on multiple occasions, including after a ceasefire was announced in April. During the ordeal, the ship's navigation system failed, forcing Islam to navigate manually. Food and fresh water supplies eventually dwindled, leading the captain to introduce rationing for the crew. Some crew members spent their time reciting the Quran or using TikTok to cope with the trauma. The vessel finally received permission to cross the Strait of Hormuz on June 23. Islam has since returned to his home in Cumilla, Bangladesh, where he stated his intention to continue sailing despite his family's concerns.