The Bangladesh government has instructed the authorities concerned not to allow any of the 69 mother vessels of seven Russian companies sanctioned by the United States to enter the country’s ports.
The Mercantile Marine Office, Chattogram, issued a circular to this effect on January 16, mentioning the IMO (International Maritime Organisation) ship identification numbers so that they were not allowed to avail of any services, including certification, renewal, refuelling, and insurance, in Bangladesh territory.
The circular came a day after the US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, concluded his two-day visit to Bangladesh on January 15.
The circular, signed by captain Sabbir Mahmood, principal officer of the Mercantile Marine Office, asked all concerned to inform it on an urgent basis if there was information about the presence of any of the 69 US-sanctioned Russian ships in Bangladesh’s maritime territory.
‘We were informed about the US-sanctioned ships by the foreign ministry, and the circular has been issued accordingly at the government’s instruction to restrict the entry of those Russian vessels into Bangladesh territory,’ Sabbir Mahmud, also registrar of Bangladesh Ships, told New Age on Thursday.
He said that all local agencies involved in transporting imported goods were also given IMO numbers so that they did not engage those ships to carry imported goods.
The IMO number identifies a ship and does not change even when the ship’s owner, country of registry (flag state), colour or name is changed, according to the official of the Mercantile Marine Office under the Department of Shipping.
The government move came after Bangladesh barred the US-sanctioned Russian ship Sparta 3, which was carrying a consignment for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project, from entering Bangladesh territory in December.
The US authorities in December informed the foreign ministry that the Russian vessel heading to Bangladesh was facing a US embargo on its operation. The ship was scheduled to anchor at the Mongla port on December 24 but had to return with the loaded cargoes following the government move.
Science and technology minister Yeafesh Osman said that Bangladesh had taken the move to avoid controversies, although many countries were not following US sanctions.
‘Russia informed us that they sent the vessel by mistake and would replace it with another ship to carry the consignment for the Rooppur power plant and deliver it at the Bangladesh port,’ Yeafesh told New Age earlier.
The country’s first nuclear power plant is being implemented in Pabna under the science and technology ministry with the technical and financial support of Russia.
State minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury told reporters at that time that they were initially not aware that the ship was under US sanctions.
The incident surfaced at a time when the US and Russia were apparently engaged in a debate over political developments in Bangladesh.
Officials concerned said that Russia was operating the vessel under US sanctions by changing its name to ‘URSA Major’ and colour.
The US embassy and the Russian embassy in Dhaka recently issued statements and counter-statements over the human rights situation and elections in Bangladesh.
The tug-of-war between Washington and Moscow resumed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
