Starting this Saturday, Saint Martin’s Island, the only coral-rich island in Bangladesh, will be under a tourist ban. During this restriction period, officials said that the Department of Environment (DoE) and the District Administration have initiated various measures to safeguard the island.
According to Md. Zamir Uddin, Deputy Director of the DoE’s Cox’s Bazar Office, authorities will closely monitor unauthorized visits to the island during the ban. Additionally, a month-long conservation program will be implemented, dividing the island into multiple zones to conduct cleanup drives targeting plastic waste and other pollutants. Alongside these efforts, a public awareness campaign will be launched to educate the local community on biodiversity conservation.
Cox’s Bazar District Commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin announced that the month-long conservation initiative will commence on February 10. He acknowledged the economic impact of the tourism ban on the local population and added that alternative livelihood options for affected residents are under consideration.
According to the guidelines set by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, tourists were allowed to visit Saint Martin’s Island on a day trip in November. However, in December and January, a limited number of 2,000 tourists per day were permitted to stay overnight on the island.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report/Abdur Rashid Manik
File Photo
