The families of the 23 sailors from the MV Abdullah, who were held hostage by Somali pirates for 33 days, are now in a celebratory mood.
Relatives and neighbors are flocking to their homes to ask about their well-being after the sailors returned home on Tuesday.
The chief officer of the MV Abdullah, Atiq Ullah Khan, resides in the Nandan Kanan area under the Kotwali police station in Chittagong city.
His mother, wife, and three daughters are overjoyed to have him back.
Atiq Ullah Khan's mother, Shahnoor Begum, expressed her relief, saying: "Since my son was captured by the pirates, I haven't slept well a single night. I was constantly waiting for news of his release. Now that he is back, our family feels a great sense of relief. Atiq was held captive during Eid, and we couldn't celebrate. But now that he is home, the joy of Eid has finally come to us."
Atiq Ullah Khan recounted his experience, saying: "During Eid, we were held hostage by bandits. I performed Eid prayers only with their permission. That was all our Eid celebration. Now, being back on home soil and surrounded by my loved ones, I feel much better. It seems that being with my family helps me forget the memories of those miserable days."
Shamsuddin, an oiler on the MV Abdullah, hails from the Madhya Bandar Center area of Anwara upazila. His three daughters are ecstatic to have him home.
Shamsuddin's wife, Rima Akhter, said: "The 33 days that Shamsuddin was held hostage by bandits were indescribably difficult for our family. Shamsuddin is the sole breadwinner, and we were anxiously waiting for his release."
Shamsuddin himself reflected on the harrowing experience, saying: "It's hard to explain how the days of captivity passed. Each day felt like a year. We endured significant emotional trauma. I never thought I would survive the bandits. The day I was freed felt like a second chance at life. Now that I'm back in the country and with my loved ones, I feel much better."
Another sailor of the MV Abdullah, Ibrahim Khalil Biplab, reached his hometown in Feni.
His family members said it felt like Eid to them after seeing him return safely from the captivity of the Somali pirates.
Biplab said the Somali pirates were Muslims and hence showed them some mercy during Ramadan. Except for that, they were mostly held at gunpoint but were not physically assaulted.
The ship MV Abdullah anchored off Kutubdia coast in Cox's Bazar at 6pm on Monday.
On April 30, the ship left Mina Saqqara port in the United Arab Emirates with 56,000 tons of limestone on its way to the country.
The vessel encountered the Somali pirates' attack on March 12 while transporting 55,000 tons of coal from the Maputo port of Mozambique to Al Hamriyah port in the UAE.
The pirates released the ship on April 14 after allegedly receiving a ransom.
The Bangladeshi-flagged vessel MV Abdullah was held captive for around 33 days.