Dhaka:Saint Martin's Island, Bangladesh's only coral island, is set to reopen to tourists on November 1. The reopening comes with a cap on daily visitors, limiting the number to 3,500 per day until March 15, 2027. Additionally, a Tk 100 environmental conservation fee will be charged to each visitor.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Environment-2 wing of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a letter regarding these measures. The decisions were made during an inter-ministerial meeting held on October 12, chaired by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, aiming to regulate tourist movement to the ecologically sensitive island.
The letter specifies that the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and the Department of Shipping will require approval from the environment ministry to authorize vessel operations to the island. However, tourist vessels already authorized to operate from Nuniachhara Ghat in Cox's Bazar will continue their services.
The Department of Environment has been tasked with collecting the environmental conservation fee from tourists, in accordance with Rule 26 of the Ecologically Critical Area Management Rules, 2016. The directives issued in a ministry notification dated October 22, 2025, will remain effective.
The letter has been circulated to relevant authorities, including the secretaries of the ministries of Civil Aviation and Tourism and Shipping, the divisional commissioner of Chattogram, and other key officials, instructing them to implement the necessary measures for these new regulations.