Bangladeshi vessel’s transit denied, halted near Strait of Hormuz

Dhaka: A vessel owned by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation has been unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after being denied transit clearance by Iran, despite reaching close to the route.

The ship, Banglar Joyjatra, had been stranded in the Persian Gulf for around 40 days due to the ongoing conflict. Following a ceasefire, it departed from the outer anchorage of Dammam Port on April 8. However, when it approached the strait on April 9, Iranian authorities refused to grant permission for it to proceed, according to BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek.

He added that the vessel has since moved to a safer area and will remain there while the Bangladeshi government works through diplomatic channels to secure passage. Officials are optimistic that approval could come within the next few days.

The ship carries 31 Bangladeshi crew members. It had initially sailed on February 27 from a port in Qatar transporting steel coils to the United Arab Emirates, but became stuck in the Gulf due to the conflict.

According to Chief Engineer Md Rashedul Alam, the vessel came within about 60 nautical miles of the strait around 10:00 pm local time on April 9. After two unsuccessful attempts to contact Iranian authorities via VHF radio, communication was finally established on the third try—but the request for transit was denied.

Following the refusal, the ship changed course and headed toward an anchorage near Minasakar in the UAE, where it dropped anchor early April 10 morning. It is currently positioned roughly 20 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz, awaiting clearance and hoping to resume its journey soon.