After an extended closure, Saint Martin’s Island—Bangladesh’s only coral island—is set to reopen to tourists from November 1, marking the start of the new tourism season that will continue until February.

To protect the island’s fragile ecosystem, biodiversity, and environmental balance, the government has issued 12 strict guidelines under the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995, and the Environment-Friendly Tourism Guideline for Saint Martin’s Island, 2023. The directives were announced on Wednesday (October 22) through a circular issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.

The 12 key directives are

  1. No vessel may operate to or from Saint Martin’s Island without approval from the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
  2. Tourists must purchase tickets online through a Bangladesh Tourism Board-approved web portal, which will include a travel pass and a QR code with each ticket. Tickets without a QR code will be considered fake.
  3. Travel schedules and visitor limits will be strictly regulated.
  4. In November, tourists will be allowed day trips only—overnight stays will not be permitted.
  5. In December and January, overnight stays will be allowed under controlled conditions.
  6. In February, all tourist travel to the island will be suspended entirely.
  7. A maximum of 2,000 tourists per day will be allowed to visit the island.
  8. To preserve the island’s natural environment, lighting, loud noise, and beach barbecues at night are prohibited.
  9. Entering the Kea forest, collecting or trading Kea fruit, or harming sea turtles, birds, corals, crabs, or shellfish is strictly forbidden.
  10. The use of motorbikes, sea bikes, or any motorized vehicle on the beach is completely banned.
  11. Polythene bags are prohibited, and tourists are discouraged from carrying single-use plastic items such as chip packets, plastic spoons, straws, mini soap or shampoo sachets, and small plastic bottles (500–1000 ml).
  12. Tourists are encouraged to bring their own personal water flasks instead of using disposable plastic bottles.

The government hopes that implementing these new rules will safeguard Saint Martin’s Island’s delicate environment and rich biodiversity, transforming it into a model of responsible and eco-friendly tourism in Bangladesh.

Cox’s Bazar Life Report

Photo: Collected 

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