A Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) vessel, Banglar Joyjatra, failed to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Friday as it did not receive clearance from Iran and is now heading back to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

The ship approached the Strait in the morning after nearly 40 hours of sailing from Saudi Arabia’s Ras Al Khair port, but was denied permission by Iranian authorities to pass through the vital maritime route. It has since been instructed to return to a safer position at Sharjah port, BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek confirmed.

The vessel had earlier left Ras Al Khair on Wednesday following a ceasefire in the Middle East, raising hopes of resuming its journey after being stranded for over a month due to the Iran-US-Israel conflict.

BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek told UNB, the ship had entered the Persian Gulf on February 2 via the Strait of Hormuz and later reached Jebel Ali port in the UAE on February 27. However, it became stuck in the region after the conflict escalated the following day.

Efforts were made to secure Iran’s approval through official channels, but the request was rejected. Authorities are now continuing diplomatic efforts to obtain clearance.

Currently the vessel remains near the Strait, but has been directed to move back to Sharjah considering safety concerns.

Malek said, there are 31 crew members onboard, with sufficient food supplies available. The ship is capable of producing 18 tonnes of fresh water daily from seawater, though consumption has been reduced to six tonnes through rationing. To maintain morale, daily food allowances for crew members have been increased from $7 to $12, along with additional war allowances equivalent to their basic pay.

A BSC official also noted that a nearby oil depot was hit by a missile during cargo unloading at Jebel Ali port, prompting authorities to relocate the vessel further from risk-prone areas.