28 crew of Banglar Samriddhi reach Romania

GBNEWS24DESK//

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Saturday said 28 crew members of Bangladeshi vessel ‘Banglar Samriddhi’ have safely reached Romania from war-torn Ukraine and they will be brought back home soon.

He was talking to reporters after attending a programme at the Jatiya Press Club on Saturday evening.

However, the body of Hadisur Rahman, who was killed in a missile attack, is not accompanying with the crew members.

“We have brought the 28 crew members in Romania safely. They will return hom soon,” he said.

Earlier, Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers Association president Captain Md Enam Ahmed Chowdhury said the 28 crew members were heading toward Moldova, 200 km off the Olvia Port of Ukraine by a bus of an organisation belonging to the expatriate Bangladeshis living in Ukraine.

He said, “We have contacted with the crew members. However, it will not be possible to bring Hadisur Rahman’s body back with the crew. His body has been kept at a freezer in a bunker near Olvia Port. The body will be brought back following the safe return of 28 crew members.”

Earlier on Friday, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said efforts were underway to bring 28 crew of Bangladeshi ship “Banglar Samriddhi” to Romania from war-ravaged Ukraine.

Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he also said around 600 Bangladeshis are now in Poland.

The crew had been taken to a relatively safe place from the ship that came under attack leaving its third engineer dead on Wednesday.

The ship had also been declared abandoned.

Expressing deep condolences to the near and dear ones of deceased Hadisur Rahman, the Russian Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday said the Russian side “bends every effort” to ensure safe departure of the Bangladeshi ship from the port.