Tourist travel to St Martin’s suspended from today

Tourist travel to St Martin’s, Bangladesh’s only coral-rich island located in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, will be suspended for nine months starting February 1, according to a decision made from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The suspension will remain in effect until November 2025.

Generally, the island’s tourist season runs from October 1 to March 31. However, this year, authorities have restricted access earlier than usual due to new regulations.

The decision has raised concerns among local businesses as the tourism sector plays a vital role in the island’s economy.

Voicing concern about the potential impact on local residents, MA Rahim Jihadi, president of the St Martin Hotel-Motel-Resort Owners Association said, “Thousands of people on the island will face a livelihood crisis if tourist access is denied on sudden decision. They should have been given time until at least February.”

Cox’s Bazar Additional District Magistrate, Imran Hossain Sajib, said, “No tourist ships will be allowed to operate to St Martin’s. If government reconsiders its decision in future, we will take action accordingly.”