The crew members of the Bangladesh-flagged vessel that sunk on March 24 in Netaji Subhas Dock in Kolkata have remained virtually “arrested” by the port authority at a hotel in Kolkata since the day of the incident.
The ship owner has reportedly abandoned the vessel, namely Marine Trust-01, on 24 April and the 15 crew members have remained in the hotel surrounded by police.
Fahim Foysal, a first engineer of the vessel, said on 28 April in a Facebook live telecast they had been confined at the hotel for nearly a month. “Save us, we want to go back home,” said the 15 seafarers.
Foysal noted their passports were taken away by the local shipping agent of the vessel and the ship owner has been taking no steps for their repatriation.
“Police has kept us confined. Food supplies can be stopped at any time,” he pointed out, urging the Bangladesh government to help them.
He added that at the preliminary stage the vessel owner had said salvaging the ship will take seven to ten days and the crew will be able to return home via the same ship. But on 24 April, the owner decided to abandon the vessel.
Fahim claimed he is not sure how long they need to remain confined in Kolkata leaving behind family members at home. “We can’t understand why they (vessel owners) kept us as a mortgage to the port authority,” he said.
The port authority said in line with the international shipping laws it would not let crew members go back home until the vessel is rescued. The Bangladesh deputy high commission in Kolkata meantime wrote the port authority urging to give permission for crew members to leave the country.
Sharar Nayel
Asia Correspondent
