Saint Martin’s Island Reopens After 9 Months, But Tourists Face Restrictions
Bangladesh’s only coral-rich island, Saint Martin’s Island in Cox’s Bazar, is set to reopen to tourists starting tomorrow, Saturday, November 1st, after a nine-month closure.
While the island—a favourite destination for both domestic and foreign travellers—is welcoming visitors back, a new restriction means tourists must adhere to day trips only for the entire month of November. However, in December and January, the government plans to allow up to 2,000 tourists per day to stay overnight.
Ship Owners Balk at November Day-Trip Restriction
This temporary ban on overnight stays in November has already caused uncertainty. The Cruise Operator Owners Association of Bangladesh (CSOAB), the body representing ship owners, announced that they will not start operating their vessels tomorrow, fearing a drought of tourists due to the requirement for a long, taxing day trip.
• Closure History: The 8-square-kilometre island in the Bay of Bengal has been closed since February 1st.
• The Rationale: The government is limiting tourist access to a three-month window (November to January) as part of an effort to protect the island’s fragile environment and ecosystem.
Travel Time and Logistics Issues
For years, ships traveled from Teknaf’s Dumdumia Ghat. However, due to the ongoing conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State since 2023, the Teknaf route remains closed.
Currently, ships are authorized to operate from the BIWTA Jetty Ghat in Nuniarchhara, Cox’s Bazar city.
The Major Hurdle: Ship owners and tourism stakeholders are concerned that the travel time on the Cox’s Bazar route is nearly 14 hours round trip. They believe tourists will not be interested in visiting Saint Martin’s if they cannot stay overnight to justify the extended journey.
Hossainul Islam Bahadur, General Secretary of CSOAB, confirmed they have permission to operate from November 1st but will not start due to insufficient expected passenger numbers. He noted that last year, over 100,000 tourists visited the island in December and January combined, and they are preparing to operate during those peak months.
Local Concerns and Government Support
While acknowledging the need for conservation, Shiblul Azam Qureshi, President of the Saint Martin’s Hotel-Resort Owners Association, expressed concern that protecting the environment at the expense of local livelihoods and tourism investment is unsustainable.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Ehsan Uddin, UNO of Teknaf Upazila, reported that the government has already provided financial assistance of BDT 11,400 to about 500 low-income families on the island who lost their jobs during the long closure.
Md. Zamir Uddin, Director of the Chittagong Regional Environment Department, highlighted ongoing government initiatives to address the islanders’ long-term needs:
• Afforestation and biodiversity conservation.
• Resolving the drinking water crisis.
• Waste management, including generating fuel and electricity from waste.
• New jetty construction, with several projects worth hundreds of millions of Taka underway.
Mandatory 12 Environmental Directives
The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has imposed 12 strict rules for tourists visiting Saint Martin’s between November and January:
• Authorization: No watercraft can operate without approval from the BIWTA and the Ministry.
• Ticketing: Tourists must collect tickets online via the Bangladesh Tourism Board’s recognized web portal, which will include a Travel Pass and QR code.
• Night Activities Banned: Lighting fires, making noise, or having BBQ parties on the beach at night is strictly prohibited.
• Protecting Wildlife: Damaging or collecting sea turtles, birds, coral, crabs, snails, shells, or other biodiversity is forbidden. Entering Keora forests (mangrove-like shrubs) is also banned.
• Vehicle Ban: Motorcycles, sea-bikes, and all motorized vehicles are completely banned from the beaches.
• Plastic Restriction: Tourists are prohibited from carrying non-biodegradable polythene and single-use plastics. Carrying 500ml and 1000ml plastic bottles is discouraged.
Md. Abdul Mannan, Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar, stated that the District Administration will work rigorously to implement these 12 directives issued by the government to protect the unique environment of Saint Martin’s Island.
