653 tourists sail to St Martin's Island as travel resumes under new restrictions

Only one of the three ships that ply the route departed on Sunday due to lack of passengers

A passenger ship carrying 653 tourists with travel passes has departed for St Martin’s Island for the first time in Bangladesh since restrictions were introduced.

The MV Bar Aulia ship set sail from the BIWTA jetty in Cox’s Bazar’s Nuniarchara at 10am on Sunday, according to Hossainul Islam Bahadur, the director of the vessel.

The ship was scheduled to reach the country's only coral island later in the afternoon.

The district administration approved tourist ships to operate on the Cox’s Bazar to St Martin route from Thursday.

A ship named Keari Sindabad was scheduled to leave for St Martin’s Island on the same day. However, the trip was cancelled due to a shortage of passengers.

Bahadur told bdnews24.com: “Although there were plans for three ships to depart on Sunday, only the MV Bar Aulia has left. At least 653 people are on board, even though the ship has the capacity to carry 850 passengers.”

In addition to Keari Sindabad and MV Bar Aulia, the Karnaphuli Express was also given permission to operate on the route on Sunday. However, due to a lack of passengers, it too did not depart.

Obaidur Rahman, who was going to St Martin’s Island with his family onboard the MV Bar Aulia, told bdnews24.com: “I am planning to stay on the island for two days.”

On Nov 19, Sabrina Rahman, the senior assistant secretary of the environment ministry, issued an order for the formation of a joint committee to control tourists and authorised ships travelling to St Martin’s Island.

The order issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change stated that tourists would have to comply with various restrictions including registration to travel to the island from now on. It also said that the newly formed joint committee would take care of these issues.

According to Yasmin Chowdhury, the executive officer of Cox’s Bazar’s Sadar Upazila, tourists will be able to travel to St Martin’s Island following the directives set by the environment ministry until January. During this time, as many as 2,000 tourists will be able to travel to the island daily with travel passes.

Meanwhile, the government is taking several measures to ensure that tourists do not use polythene or other plastic products on the ship.

Jamir Uddin, the deputy director of the ministry’s Cox’s Bazar department, said: “Tourists have been given jute bags instead of polythene bags. The Department of Environment will be strict in ensuring that polythene and single-use plastics are not used on the ship in any way.”

On Sunday, officials from the Department of Environment were seen checking whether tourists had polythene or single-use plastic on the stairs leading to the ship at the jetty.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin said: “The wharf for ships to sail from Cox’s Bazar city has been determined in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change. A committee formed in this regard is working to implement the instructions of the ministry.

Environment Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan says several steps have been taken to protect the biodiversity and ecosystem of St Martin’s Island, including a restriction on tourism, since the interim government took office.

Later, the Advisory Council decided to limit tourism on the island from November to January.

According to the new limitations, tourists will not be allowed to stay overnight on the island in November.

In December and January, up to 2,000 tourists will be permitted to visit daily and stay overnight. However, no tourists will be allowed in February.