For 51-year-old captain Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, the voyage of the Banglar Joyjatra was meant to be routine until geopolitical tensions turned the Gulf into a war zone. Stranded for 115 days, Islam faced the terrifying reality of watching missiles strike oil facilities just hundreds of meters from his vessel. Tasked with the safety of 31 crew members and a cargo worth millions, he was forced to abandon modern navigation systems, relying on manual steering and lighthouses to keep the ship on course amid the chaos of failing technology and regional blockades.

Life on board became a test of psychological endurance as supplies dwindled and the Strait of Hormuz remained tightly restricted. To keep morale from collapsing, Islam balanced his duties as a commander with those of a mentor, offering comfort to younger sailors who oscillated between spiritual devotion and social media distractions to cope with the trauma. Despite the repeated rejections from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the constant pressure of safeguarding his crew, Islam successfully guided the vessel to safety by late June. Now reunited with his family in Bangladesh, he remains steadfast in his commitment to the sea, even as his loved ones urge him to finally retire from his perilous career.