Cargo ship resumes India-bound voyage after pirate attack in Sundarbans
Photo Collected
A cargo vessel bound for India has resumed its journey after surviving a violent pirate attack deep within the Sundarbans, highlighting growing security concerns along the vital maritime route. The vessel, MV Abdul Hakim-1, departed from the Angtihara customs station in Khulna at approximately 5:00 a.m. Monday, continuing its transit toward Kolkata despite the trauma of the weekend encounter.
The vessel had originally departed Mongla Port on Saturday afternoon. While navigating through the Shingyenala area of the Sundarbans that evening, a group of 10 to 15 armed individuals on a trawler intercepted the ship and boarded it. According to the ship’s master, Md. Nur Nabi, the attackers held crew members hostage on the lower deck before attempting to storm the master bridge.
When the bridge was secured from within, the assailants opened fire, discharging 15 to 20 rounds at the reinforced door. Although they failed to breach the bridge, the attackers managed to break into the master’s cabin, stealing 59,000 taka in cash. Before fleeing into the dense forest, the pirates also robbed the crew of seven mobile phones and approximately 6,000 taka. The entire ordeal lasted roughly 15 minutes, ending only when nearby vessels approached, prompting the pirates to retreat into the mangroves.
The vessel took refuge at the Angtihara customs station following the attack. Despite sustaining visible damage, including bullet-riddled doors and shattered windows, the crew opted to push forward. Master Nabi explained that the decision to depart was driven by strict deadlines on their Indian transit permits, as any further delay could necessitate a lengthy re-application process. One crew member, Tanvir Sheikh, opted to abandon the ship following the attack, leaving the remaining staff to continue the three-day voyage to Kolkata.
While local authorities confirmed the incident, no formal police complaint or general diary has been filed. The crew informed the Angtihara naval police outpost of the robbery but stated they wished to avoid the complexities of prolonged legal proceedings. Despite the lack of an official case, the Coast Guard has initiated an investigation to identify the perpetrators. Lt. Cmdr. Mahbub Hossain, representing the West Zone of the Bangladesh Coast Guard, confirmed that intelligence teams are actively working to locate the suspects and have interviewed the affected crew.
Industry representatives are now raising alarms regarding the safety of the Indo-Bangladesh river protocol route. Sirajul Islam, acting president of the Bangladesh-India Waterways Protocol Committee, confirmed that the vessel, which was empty at the time of the attack, was scheduled to load fly ash in India for its return. Labour leaders have warned that unless security measures are significantly bolstered, such acts of piracy could permanently jeopardize shipping operations, threatening the vital economic corridor between the two nations.
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