Dhaka, 09 May 2018

A vessel namely ‘Talent Ace’, having a counterfeit IMO number (IMO No. 8793873), carrying coal from North Korea was detained on 19 March 2018 including its crews by concerned authorities of Republic of Korea, while unloading goods at Gunsan Port. 7 crews from Myanmar, 6 from China and 3 from Bangladesh were working in the detained vessel. In the vessel Bangladeshi crews Mr. Ismail Sheikh, Mr. Tirtho Chakraborty and Mr. Arifuzzaman were working as Junior Officer, Second Officer and 4^th Engineer respectively.

The Korean authorities duly informed the Embassy of Bangladesh in Seoul regarding the detention of the vessel and Bangladeshi seafarers. Upon Ministry’s instructions, Bangladesh Embassy took up the issue instantly with the competent authorities of Korean Government for release and repatriation of the detained 3 seafarers to Bangladesh. After completing all formalities and necessary legal procedures, the Korean authorities handed over the Bangladeshi seafarers to the Embassy on 08 May 2018. Following Ministry’s necessary instructions, the Mission arranged to send the seafarers to Bangladesh and the seafarers are going to arrive Dhaka today at 12.10 pm by Thai Airways Flight No. 321.            

Circulated by:

External Publicity Wing, MOFA, Dhaka

Md. Alamgeer Hossain