A three-day joint drive has been launched on St Martin’s Island to curb environmentally harmful activities and protect the ecology, biodiversity, and fragile ecosystem of the country’s only coral island.
The operation began on Monday (January 19) under the initiative of the Cox’s Bazar district administration. The first day’s drive was led by executive magistrate Nafis Intesar Nafi, with officials from the Department of Environment, the Tourist Police, and the St. Martin’s police outpost participating.
During the drive, fines amounting to Tk 76,000 were realised from Prince Haven Resort, Joar-Bhata Restaurant, Dreams Paradise Resort, and Prasad Paradise Resort for their involvement in activities deemed harmful to the environment.
The mobile court also confiscated banned single-use plastic cups and straws from several roadside vendors. In addition, rotten and stale food was recovered from two restaurants and subsequently destroyed by burying it underground.
Executive magistrate Nafis Intesar Nafi said that St Martin’s Island, being the country’s only coral island, requires special protection to safeguard its environment, ecology, and overall ecosystem. “This special drive is being conducted to ensure effective coordination in conserving these sensitive aspects,” he said.
He added that legal action would be taken against hotels and establishments operating without proper registration or licences, as well as those failing to maintain appropriate waste management systems.
The magistrate further said that such drives would continue as part of ongoing efforts to conserve and develop St Martin’s Island and Cox’s Bazar as environmentally friendly, sustainable, and ecologically sensitive areas.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Photo: Courtesy
