The fear of the possible worst is eating up Shaila Farid, wife of Farid Ahmed, master of hijacked ship MV Jahan Moni.
Unconditional belief in prayers and fasting is the only thing keeping her alive. Shiala has been fasting almost unceasingly since she heard about the hijack by the Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea.
The family got to know about the hijack only Monday morning through newspapers. The government has not yet contacted the family.
When The Daily Star visited Shaila and Farid’s house in Mohammadpur yesterday, their daughter Faria politely said, “Mother is not in a position to talk you now.”
“We are trying to feed her something liquid, like a baby,” said Shaila’s sister Lazu adding that Shaila only had a few spoons of cornflakes since Monday morning.
“She is just praying to Allah. It appears she had forgotten eating and sleeping,” said Farid’s sister-in-law Rozina Haque.
Brave Royal Shipping Management, the operator of MV Jahan Moni in Chittagong, is saying that there would be no problem. The company is ready to pay the ransom that pirates demanded in exchange of the crew.
For the family, however, no promise is enough.
Farid Ahmed has been in the shipping profession since the beginning of his career, right after his studies in Marine Academy two decades ago. This was his first voyage in any Bangladesh-flagged ship.
The family last talked with Farid over the phone on Saturday.
“Father used to call twice, sometimes thrice, a day when he is ashore, and every alternative days while on waters,” said Faria, who is not attending college since Monday.
Her brother Farhan, a primary school final examinee, talked with Farid on Saturday. He said, “Father asked me how I was and about my exams.”
Farid was supposed to return home mid-December.
“We believe the government is seriously looking into the matter,” said Lazu.
The fear and emotions are running as high in the families of other crewmen in MV Jahan Moni.
Another such is the family of Chief Engineer of the ship Matiul Mawla and Rukhsana Gulzar.
Matiul has been in the ship since April this year. His wife Rukhsana joined him in the voyage in September, before Eid-ul-Fitr, when the ship anchored in Chittagong port. The couple are now hostages.
Their two children are studying abroad.
Matiul’s elder brother Mahbub Mawla said they have kept the news from the children fearing emotional breakdown.
Mahbub, who earlier worked in ships in African countries, believes the Somalians would not harm a Muslim, as they are Muslims too.
