MV Abdullah sailor reunites with family after 2 months in captivity

MV Abdullah sailor reunites with family after 2 months in captivity

Khulna, May 15 - Engineer Mohammad Taufiqul Islam, who was held captive for over two months, has finally returned home to Khulna. He served as the second engineer aboard the MV Abdullah.

Taufiqul arrived at his residence in the Karimnagar area of Khulna at 11:00 am on Wednesday, where he was welcomed with open arms by his overjoyed family. His return sparked a wave of emotions and celebrations, with his family greeting him with flowers.

His father, Iqbal Hossain, mother, Bil-Afroz, wife, Jobaida Noman, and his two children, Tasfiya Tahsina (7) and Ahmed Rusafi (5), expressed their immense happiness at his safe return. Taufiqul’s children, in particular, were tearful and insisted that they would not let their father leave them again.

The ordeal began when the MV Abdullah, carrying 23 crew members and 55,000 metric tonnes of coal from Mozambique to Dubai, was hijacked by Somali pirates on March 12 while traversing the Indian Ocean. After a month of negotiations and efforts, the ship and its crew were finally freed on April 14.

Taufiqul and the rest of the crew landed on home soil on Tuesday afternoon, marking the end of a harrowing experience. The joyous reunion with his family in Khulna underscores the relief and gratitude felt by all those involved.-UNB