After 39 Days Stranded, ‘MV Banglar Joyjatra’ Finally Sets Sail for Home

After more than a month trapped in the fallout of the Iran-US-Israel conflict, Bangladesh’s state‑owned vessel MV Banglar Joyjatra has finally begun its journey back home. The ship, owned by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC), had been stuck in the Persian Gulf for 39 days following the outbreak of hostilities. It departed Saudi Arabia’s Dammam port at 12 pm Bangladesh time on Wednesday, April 8, carrying 37,000 tonnes of fertiliser.

According to BSC officials, the vessel completed unloading at Dubai’s Jebel Ali port on March 11 and was scheduled to load new cargo at a Kuwaiti port. But as the regional conflict intensified, BSC decided it was too risky to proceed and opted instead to bring the ship back to Bangladesh.

Following that decision, the vessel headed toward the Strait of Hormuz. On March 12, it reached a point roughly 66 nautical miles from the mouth of the strait. But with the waterway effectively shut due to the war, the ship was forced to remain at sea, waiting for conditions to improve.

With the ceasefire now in effect and the situation stabilising slightly, MV Banglar Joyjatra has finally been cleared to depart from Dammam. The vessel is now safely en route to Bangladesh, ending weeks of uncertainty for the crew and the nation’s maritime authorities.