Islam was the captain of the Banglar Joyjatra, a bulk carrier that had arrived in the Gulf a month before the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February. The ensuing war saw the economically vital Strait of Hormuz paralysed and commercial shipping in the Gulf repeatedly targeted in Iranian attacks. "In the early hours of February 28, we saw a missile strike an oil storage facility just 200 metres away," he said. Bangladesh's ambassador to the UAE urged Islam to evacuate, but the captain chose to stay aboard, hoping the situation would stabilise. "After many years, I found myself navigating manually again, searching for lighthouses to make sure we stayed on course," Islam said.