Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud stated that the government has made significant strides towards freeing the Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah, which was seized by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean along with its 23 crew members.

During a briefing on current affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he addressed questions regarding the ongoing efforts to resolve the situation.

"We are actively engaged in multifaceted efforts to secure the release of the crew members and the vessel. Our primary objective is to ensure their safe return and the recovery of the ship. I want to emphasize that we have made significant progress," he remarked.

The minister mentioned that the ship owners are not in favor of military operations to resolve hostage situations.

Responding to concerns about food shortages aboard the ship, he noted that such shortages did not occur during previous hijackings. He expressed hope that the current situation would not lead to such issues.

On March 12, Somali pirates hijacked the Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah in the Indian Ocean, approximately 600 nautical miles from the coast of Somalia. After three days, the ship with its crew members was taken off the coast of Somalia.

After 9 days of holding the Bangladeshi ship and its 23 sailors hostage, Somali pirates made contact with the owners. This incident mirrors a previous hijacking involving the same company's ship, MV Jahan Moni, in 2010. Negotiations took 100 days to secure the release of the ship and crew members.