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9-Month Tourist Ban On Saint Martin's Island Begins

Saint Martin || Photo: Collected

Saint Martin || Photo: Collected

Starting today, a ban on tourist entry to Saint Martin’s Island will be enforced for the next nine months. During this period, tourist ships will also cease operations. The administration has made this decision as part of government restrictions.

When asked about plans for the island during the tourist ban, officials from the district administration and the Department of Environment stated that the department will carry out a month-long program focused on protecting the island. The initiative will involve dividing the island into sections to carry out cleaning operations, including the removal of plastic bottles and other waste. Additionally, a special project will be launched to produce and supply clean drinking water. There are also plans to generate electricity from waste. During this time, the administration will work to raise awareness among locals about preserving biodiversity.

Zamir Uddin, Deputy Director of the Cox’s Bazar District office of the Department of Environment, mentioned that starting Saturday, there will be monitoring to ensure no one visits Saint Martin’s Island. A meeting will be held on Sunday (February 2) to discuss what steps need to be taken during the ban.

According to district administration sources, a total of 120,000 tourists visited Saint Martin’s Island in the last two months, up until Friday. The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change had previously instructed that tourists could visit the island only during the day in November, with a cap of 2,000 tourists per day allowed for overnight stays in December and January.

During June, July, and August, when the Bay of Bengal becomes turbulent, both tourists and government officials typically avoid the island. However, influential individuals have been constructing illegal resorts and other structures in restricted areas of the island. These constructions often use stones taken from the beach. Environmentalists are warning that no such structures should be built during the tourist-free period.

Abu Morshed Chowdhury Khoka, President of the Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that 230 hotels, resorts, cottages, and restaurants have been illegally constructed in Saint Martin’s. With tourism halted, alternative income options for the island’s residents need to be considered.

HM Nazrul Islam, Organizational Secretary of Bangladesh Environment Movement (BAPA) Cox's Bazar branch, mentioned that the reduction in tourists is helping to protect the island’s biodiversity. District Commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin said that the month-long program to protect the island will begin on February 10, and that alternative livelihoods for the affected local population are being considered.

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