Why tourists cannot travel to Saint Martin’s Island on 1 November

Tourists were set to start travelling to Saint Martin’s Island on Sunday, 1 November, as per the government decision. However, the movement of tourist vessels will not begin on the scheduled date as they have not received the necessary approvals. Shipowners say vessel operations may begin on 5 or 6 November. Tourist vessels operate to Saint Martin’s from the BIWTA (Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority) jetty at Nuniachhara on the Bankkhali River in Cox’s Bazar town. The island is about 120 kilometres from Nuniachhara, and the entire journey is made through the Bay of Bengal. According to information from the district administration and the Department of Environment, a decision on tourist travel to Saint Martin’s was taken at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 12 October this year.

Later, a notification issued on 25 October retained the conditions imposed the previous year. Under those conditions, tourists were allowed to visit the island and return on the same day in November, while overnight stays were permitted in December and January. This created confusion among tourists, hotel and restaurant owners, and shipowners. Later, a revised gazette was issued on 27 October, amending the previous decision. The gazette, signed by Sabrina Rahman, senior assistant secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, allowed tourists to visit and stay overnight on Saint Martin’s from 1 November, 2026, to 15 March 2027. It also stated that a maximum of 3,500 tourists would be allowed on the island each day. Vessel operations delayed Hossain Islam, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operators Owners Association of Bangladesh, an organisation of shipowners operating vessels to Saint Martin’s, told…