Bangladesh’s only coral island, St. Martin’s, will be off-limits to tourists starting in February. As per the interim government’s decision, all tourist vessels on the island will cease operations on January 31, leaving residents and tourism businesses disheartened during the peak travel season.
On Monday (January 20), Nilufa Yasmin Chowdhury, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Cox’s Bazar Sadar and head of the committee on regulating tourism to St. Martin’s, confirmed the decision at Cox’s Bazar Life.
“We will allow tourist travel to St. Martin’s until January 31,” she stated. From February 1, all tourist vessels will stop operating as per the government’s directive,” she added.
On December 1, after months of delays, tourist vessel services resumed this season from BIWTA’s Nuniachhara Jetty in Cox’s Bazar. Currently, six vessels operate on the Cox’s Bazar–St. Martin’s route.
Traditionally, ships operate on the Teknaf–St. Martin’s and Cox’s Bazar–St. Martin’s routes from October to March each year, with the remaining six months suspended due to rough seas. However, no such restrictions existed during the allowed period in previous years.
Sedimentation in the Naf River and ongoing border tensions with Myanmar completely stopped vessel operations from Teknaf this year.
The sudden ban on tourist arrivals is a major blow for the islanders, as their livelihoods heavily depend on tourism. Given the unexpected closure, many businesses on the island are now grappling with uncertainty and financial strain.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report/Abdur Rashid Manik
File Photo
