Dhaka: The government has implemented a series of guidelines aimed at controlling the surge in tourism to Saint Martin Island, Bangladesh’s sole coral island, to protect its unique biodiversity and environment.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, alongside other relevant organizations, announced these measures as part of a broader strategy to address the challenges posed by uncontrolled tourism on the island located in the northeastern Bay of Bengal. The ministry’s release emphasized the necessity of these guidelines to safeguard the island’s ecological balance.
To ensure responsible tourism, the guidelines mandate that travelers obtain travel passes through the Bangladesh Tourism Board’s app for voyages on approved ships. Tourists are instructed to deposit polythene and single-use plastics before boarding, with eco-friendly jute bags being provided to discourage plastic use.
Additional measures include recording detailed information about touri
sts’ accommodations in hotel registers and providing verbal instructions on the island’s travel rules. A billboard displaying tourist guidelines has been installed at Nuniachhara Dock to further reinforce these instructions.
A dedicated committee, led by the Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Teknaf and Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila, has been formed to oversee the prevention of uncontrolled tourism. A 21-member monitoring cell is tasked with supervising the ship operations and tourism activities on the island.
As part of the initiative, the Department of Environment has deployed 10 teams to monitor polythene and plastic use on ships from November 30 to December 31. On the first day of implementation, 681 passengers, including 644 tourists and 37 locals, traveled to the island aboard the MV Baro Awlia, the latest addition to the Saint Martin route. A total of 704 travel passes were issued on the second day, reflecting the ministry’s call for collective efforts to maintain the island’s environmental integrity.