Russia has sent condolences over the death of a Bangladeshi national amid the invasion of Ukraine.
Hadisur Rahman, the third engineer of the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation vessel Banglar Samriddhi, died after a projectile hit the ship at the inner anchorage of Olvia port in Ukraine on Wednesday.
In a statement shared on its verified Facebook page on Thursday, the Russian Embassy in Dhaka said Hadisur died as a result of a missile attack. “The circumstances of the incident are being established.”
“We express deep condolences to the near and dear ones of the deceased,” the embassy said, promising “every effort” to ensure safe departure of the Bangladeshi ship from the port, reports bdnews24.com.
It claimed the Command of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, relying on the objective monitoring data, has repeatedly stated that the “Ukrainian nationalists open indiscriminate fire and deliberately capture hostages, use them as a ‘human shield’, resorting to the well-known terrorists’ tactic during the retreat”.
For resolving the humanitarian issues arising from the “special military operation” in Ukraine, including the requests for the evacuation of the civilians, the Russian defence ministry has launched the hotline +7 495 498-34-46, +7 495 498-42-11, +7 495 498-41-09, according to the statement.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said the crew members of the bulk carrier, which is stranded in Ukraine, are “safe”. The ship had set sail for Ukraine with 29 sailors onboard but it lost Hadisur.
“The death of Hadisur Rahman has left us in a vulnerable position. The commercial ship is stuck at the channel of the Olvia port in Ukraine,” the state minister said on Thursday.
According to Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, the shell struck the bridge of the ship, where Hadisur was on duty. The remaining 28 sailors on board are still safe. Two of them are female cadets.
The fire started by the shell was put out by the crew, said BSC General Manager (Chartering, Planning) Captain Md Mujibur Rahman.
But the organisation believes it is safer for the crew to remain on board for the time being. The ship will have to travel 60 nautical miles to reach the main sea from where it anchored. It would require a local 'pilot' to navigate the waters but there aren't any available at present due to the war.
Moreover, naval mines are believed to have been placed in the sea, adding to the risks facing the ship.
In a desperate call for help, the sailors on the ship said they still face fatal danger at the Ukrainian port of Olvia.
“We are still on the ship. We have no way to get off this vessel. Please spread the word. We could be hit by a missile at any time. Our lives are at risk,” said Omar Faruk Tuhin, the chief engineer on the ship.
Amid growing concerns about their safety, BSC's Executive Director Pijush Dutta said, "Every effort is being made to bring them back. There are 28 sailors aboard the ship there. We are trying to make security arrangements in order to bring them back."