Bangladesh again seeks safe passage thru Hormuz

Dhaka has once again urged the Iranian authorities to facilitate safe passage of vessels bound for Bangladesh, particularly those carrying fuel through the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for global energy supply, amid tensions due to the Gulf conflict.

Bangladesh foreign minister Khalilur Rahman at a meeting with deputy foreign minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran Saeed  Khatibzadeh on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye on Sunday evening renewed the call as Bangladesh-flagged ship Banglar Joyjatra had remained stranded near the waterway in the Persian Gulf since the outbreak of the war after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28 and Tehran retaliated.

‘The Bangladesh foreign minister also requested the Iranian deputy foreign minister to use his good offices to facilitate the safe passage of Bangladesh-flagged vessel Banglar Joyjatra through the Strait of Hormuz,’ said a foreign ministry statement issued in Dhaka on Monday.

Khalilur said, ‘We were very thankful when Iran included Bangladesh among the six countries whose vessels would be permitted to cross Hormuz.’

The two sides exchanged views on the evolving situation in the Gulf region and other issues of mutual interest, according to the statement.

During the meeting, the foreign minister reiterated Bangladesh’s consistent and balanced position on the ongoing developments, underscoring the importance of restraint by all parties and the resolution of differences through dialogue and diplomacy.

The deputy foreign minister of Iran followed up on the matter immediately and informed Bangladesh foreign minister past night that while the situation continued to remain tense, necessary directives had been given to the authorities concerned in Iran.

The two leaders continue to maintain communication on the matter, the statement said.

Earlier, on April 5, foreign minister Khalilur at a meeting in Dhaka with Iranian ambassador to Bangladesh Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi requested facilitation of safe passage for Banglar Joyjatra as well as another Bangladesh-bound vessel carrying crude oil.

The envoy conveyed that the Iranian authorities were being approached at appropriate levels in this regard.

He also appreciated Bangladesh’s balanced stance on the current crisis and expressed gratitude to the government of Bangladesh for adopting a condolence motion on the opening day of the 13th parliament session following the targeted assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameini, during the US-Israel joint strikes on Iran.

Foreign minister Khalilur noted at that meeting that he had sent an official letter to the Iranian foreign minister, thanking him for the support extended by the Iran government to safe passage of 186 Bangladeshis from Iran to Azerbaijan.

Khalilur on April 16 left the country for Türkiye to attend the three-day Antalya Diplomacy Forum that concluded on April 19.

After attending the forum, the foreign minister flew to Brussels of Belgium to attend the signing event on the ‘Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation’ between Bangladesh and the European Union held on Monday.

On his way back home, Khalilur is expected to make a stopover in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa before returning to Bangladesh on April 24.