Distressed, their families now fear the worst
Atik Ullah Khan's family was having iftar on Tuesday, during the first day of Ramadan, when a phone call shattered their world.
"My son has been working on ships since 2008. I have seen news of Somali pirates hijacking ships before. But I never thought my son would have to see such a day. I never thought such danger would befall my family," said the 62-year-old mother at her residence in Chattogram's Nandankanon area yesterday.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Suspected Somali pirates on Tuesday hijacked MV Abdullah with 23 crew members in the Indian Ocean, according to the ship's owner SR Shipping Limited -- a subsidiary of KSRM Group.
Shahnur said her son informed them that some Somali pirates boarded the ship and held them hostage at gunpoint in a cabin, but none were hurt by then.
"Around 15 minutes later, my son sent a voice message, saying the pirates were taking away the cell phones of every crew member and they would be out of contact," said a weeping Shahnur.
"My daughter-in-law is pregnant, and she fell sick after hearing the news," she said, urging the vessel's owners and the government to take steps to bring her son and the 22 other crew members back home safely.
Several family members of the hijacked crewmen gathered at the KSRM group head office in Chattogram's Agrabad area yesterday and demanded that the government and SR Shipping take immediate steps to rescue the sailors.
Josna Begum, mother of fourth Engineer Tanveer Ahmad, also came to KSRM office.
"My son asked me to request the firm to pay the ransom. So I came here," said the mother.
"PRAY FOR ME"
Taufiq Islam, second engineer of MV Abdullah, called his mother Dil Afroza in Khulna. "I am in danger. Forgive me, ma. I don't know what will happen. Pray for me," he said.
Then someone took his phone away, said the mother before breaking into tears.
Taufiq has a seven-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son. He boarded the ship from Khulna on November 25 last year and was supposed to come home before Eid-ul-Azha.
"The last time he called, he said that the pirates locked the hostages in the bridge room and were taking them to Somalia," said Taufiq's wife Zobaida Noman.
"THIS COULD BE our LAST CONVERSATION"
Mohammad Ali Hossain, another crewman, called his father Imam Hossain Molla in Barishal.
"I got a call from my son just after iftar. While crying, he said this could be his last conversation," Imam, an office bearer of a local school, told this newspaper.
Ali also spoke to his mother and his wife for a few minutes. Despite being the youngest, Ali mainly looks after us, said Imam.
In Tangail's Nagarpur upazila, the news of pirates capturing the ship devastated the family of Sabbir Hossain, 24, a merchant officer on MV Abdullah.
"My parents have stopped eating since we got the news. They are just crying," said Mitu Akter, Sabbir's sister.
Sabbir's father, once a farmer, has been paralysed and bedridden after a brain stroke.
"The family will be ruined if anything happens to Sabbir," said Ahmed Hossain Rana, cousin of Sabbir.
[Our Correspondents from Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal and Tangail contributed to the report]
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