There may be no more talk, says Joy held hostage by pirates

Somali pirates hijacked a Bangladesh-flagged cargo ship named MV Abdullah with 23 crew members in the Indian ocean yesterday.

Joy Mahmud, son of Ziaur Rahman, a resident of Salainagar area under Bagatipara upazila in Natore, is among the 23 crew members held hostage by Somali pirates. He is an ordinary sailor of the ship.

Maruf Ali, cousin of Joy, said: “My brother made a call around 1:30 pm on March 12 and said that pirates have attacked their ship. There may be no more talk. Do not tell anyone at home. He cuts the line at once fearing that pirates can take the phone. Later, when I messaged again, Joy said in a return message at 6:40 pm that my phone has been taken away and there may be no more talk.”

Somali pirates yesterday hijacked a Bangladesh-flagged cargo ship named MV Abdullah with 23 crew members in the Indian ocean, according to Captain Mehrul Karim, chief executive officer of SR Shipping Limited, a concern of KSRM Group.

The crew members of MV Abdullah have been held hostage, he said.

The ship was sailing from Maputo in Mozambique to Al Hamriyah in the UAE with 58,000 tonnes of coal.