Despite the presence of a European Union naval vessel near the hijacked MV Abdullah, currently anchored off the Somali coast, both the Bangladesh government and the ship owners have refrained from authorizing any raids. Instead, they aim to maintain stability and seek a peaceful resolution to free the hostage sailors.

The EU Naval Force recently shared a video and several images on its X (formerly Twitter) account, illustrating the proximity of the MV Abdullah to the naval ship. Additionally, footage showed a helicopter from the warship flying over the Bangladeshi hostage vessel.

When questioned about the possibility of a raid, Captain Anam Chowdhury, president of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers' Association, explained to Prothom Alo that without Bangladesh's consent, there is no prospect of raiding Bangladeshi ships, even if EU Naval Force deploys warships.

Captain Chowdhury emphasized the potential risks of military operations, including the loss of lives of sailors and damage to the vessel and its cargo. However, he acknowledged that the presence of warships could exert psychological pressure on the pirates, potentially hastening a resolution to the hostage situation.

Mizanul Islam, media advisor of Kabir Group, the ship's owner, reiterated that their foremost priority is the safe return of the sailors. For this reason, they have not approved any raids.

The MV Abdullah, carrying 50,000 tons of coal from Mozambique to the UAE, was hijacked on March 12.

This marks the second instance of Somali pirates targeting a vessel owned by Kabir Group. In 2010, the MV Jahan Moni was held captive for 100 days before the crew was released upon payment of ransom.