Power price hike to Tk 62 deepens worries for St Martin’s tourism businesses

Saint Martin's residents and businesses are facing higher electricity bills amid limited supply, with the commercial tariff rising to Tk 62 per unit as the island prepares for the tourism season.

The increase took effect on Nov 1. Blue Marine Energy Limited, which produces and supplies electricity on the island, has raised the residential rate by Tk 10 to Tk 52 per unit and the commercial rate by the same amount to Tk 62.

Acting Saint Martin's Union Council Chairman Faizul Islam has threatened legal action against the company over the increase.

Residents say the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) set up a generator-based power plant on the island in the 1980s, supplying more than 500 customers.

The facility was badly damaged by a cyclone in 1994, which also destroyed power poles and transmission lines. It has remained shut since then.

Blue Marine Energy introduced a solar power system on the island on Feb 1, 2019.

Islanders, however, complain that private electricity charges have remained significantly higher than government rates ever since.

Protests erupted recently over the fresh price hike, with over 150 consumers staging a human-chain demonstration outside Euro-Bangla Resort on Oct 21, led by St Martin’s Union BNP President Md Nurul Alam and former Teknaf Upazila Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal joint convenor Jabed Iqbal.

Local resident Ziaul Haq and Hotel Owners’ Cooperative Association President Abdur Rahim expressed deep frustration, noting that businesses and households receive barely three hours of power daily while facing steep financial strain and questionable meter deductions.

In response, Blue Marine Energy Engineer Md Shihab cited surging demand from battery-operated auto-rickshaws, adding that the firm plans to run diesel generators during the tourist season to cover the shortfall.

Environmentalists have raised alarms over generator usage.

Abdul Aziz, sea turtle breeding supervisor warned that noise from over 300 private generators operating on the island frightens nesting mother turtles back into the sea.

Cox's Bazar Department of Environment Deputy Director Khondakar Mahmud Pasha said generator noise and easy-bikes will be strictly regulated during the four-and-a-half-month tourist season starting Nov 1.

He added that a government-backed solar project is being planned to permanently resolve the island's energy crisis.

Local representatives, including Ward 6 Member Syed Alam and Acting UP Chairman Faizul, urged the government to restore the BPDB’s grid operations, lay submarine cables, or set up wind power units to eliminate reliance on expensive private suppliers.

Defending the hike, Blue Marine Energy owner Jafar Ahmad Patwari explained that daily demand across 230 hotels and 200 restaurants will reach up to 600KW during peak season, far exceeding the solar facility's current 138KW output.

He highlighted high diesel transport costs of Tk 175 per litre from Teknaf, widespread power theft by auto-rickshaw charging garages, and degraded plant batteries awaiting imported replacements from China.

Teknaf Upazila administrator (UNO) SM Anik Chowdhury said the administration was not formally notified of the rate increase and is looking into the situation.