Sanctioned Ships: Russia summons Bangladesh ambassador

The Russian foreign ministry yesterday summoned Bangladesh Ambassador Kamrul Ahsan over not allowing 69 Russian ships, on which the US has slapped sanctions, from calling at Bangladeshi ports.

“We drew attention of the head of the diplomatic mission to the reports about the decision of his country’s authorities to ban Russian ships carrying cargoes for Bangladesh from calling at Bangladeshi ports,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement, reports Russian state news agency TASS.

This step runs counter to the traditionally friendly character of bilateral relations and can have a negative effect on the prospects for Russia-Bangladesh cooperation in various spheres, read the statement.

An official of the Bangladesh foreign ministry confirmed the summoning to The Daily Star last night.

The development comes two days after equipment of the under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was unloaded at Mongla Port.

Russia changed the name of a US-sanctioned ship Sparta III to “URSA MAJOR” and sent it towards Bangladesh with equipment for the power plant. The vessel was scheduled to reach Bangladesh on December 24.

However, Bangladesh did not allow the ship to unload the goods after the US embassy in Dhaka on December 20 informed the Bangladesh foreign ministry that the sanctioned Russian ship has changed its name.

The ship then went away without being able to offload the equipment and stayed in international waters of the Bay of Bengal.

Dhaka then conveyed to Moscow that Bangladesh will not accept the 69 Russian ships which are under sanctions from the US and the European Union following the Russia-Ukraine war.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said Russia has thousands of ships and they can send any ship except those 69.