First batch of 653 tourists with travel passes reach St Martin’s Island

A total of 653 tourists travelled to Saint Martin's Island today (1 December) after securing travel passes from the government.

MV Bara Auliya, a cruise ship carrying the tourists, left the BIWTA Ghat at Nuniyarchara in Cox's Bazar town at 10am. 

The ship is supposed to reach the island by noon, confirmed ship manager Hosainul islam Bahadur.

Earlier on Thursday (28 November), the Cox's Bazar district administration gave approval to operate ships on the Cox's Bazar-Saint Martin route.

Although cruise ship Keyari Sindabad was supposed to ferry tourists to the island on that day, the ship authority cancelled the trip later due to passenger shortage.

"Despite having a plan to operate three ships on Sunday, only one ship has left Cox's Bazar. Although the ship has a capacity to take 850 tourists, it is carrying only 653 passengers," Bahadur said.

Besides Keyari Sindabad and MV Bara Auliya, another ship named Karnaphuli Express has also received permission to operate on the route. 

The two ships except Bara Auliya are yet to start operation due to a passenger shortage, confirmed Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Cox's Bazar Sadar Nilufa Yasmin Chowdhury, who is also a member of the ministerial committee formed to control unchecked tourism and determine points of departure for tourist ships in the city.

"A total of 2,000 tourists will be able to visit Saint Martin's till January following directives from the Environment, Forest and Climate Change ministry," Nilufa said.

Obaidur Rahman, a resident of Dhaka's Mohammadpur who was going to the island with his full family, said, "I have made preparations to stay on the island for two days. Many tourists like us are also doing the same."

Visiting Nuniyarchara Ghat, this correspondent saw environment department officials monitoring if anyone was taking polythene bags and single-use plastic with them.

Contacted, Deputy Director of Cox's Bazar Environment Department Jomir Uddin said they are taking steps so that no one can use polythene and plastic on the island.

"The tourists have been given jute bags instead of polythene bags. The environment department will be strict so that no one can use polythene and plastic on the ship," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar Mohammad Salahuddin visited Nuniyarchara Ghat in the morning, during which he said the departure point had been set following directives from the environment ministry.

"The ministerial committee formed in this regard will work hard to follow the directives of the ministry," he said.

On 19 November, the environment ministry formed a joint committee through a ministry order signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Sabrina Rahman to determine the departure points of tourist ships and check unregulated tourism on Saint Martin's Island.

The order made it mandatory for tourists to register and follow strict regulations for visiting the island, while it also made the committee responsible to oversee the matter.

UNOs of Cox's Bazar Sadar and Teknaf were made conveners of the committee, while deputy secretary of Cox's Bazar's Environment Department was made member-secretary.

In January 2023, tourists were transported to the island using the naval jetty at Inani Sea Beach as tourist ships stopped to operate from Teknaf due to unrest in Myanmar's Rakhine province.

Tourist transportation using the naval jetty at Inani is currently discontinued due to the jetty getting damaged during cyclone Dana.