Tourist Access to Saint Martin Island Banned: What’s Next?

From Saturday, tourist access to the coral-rich Saint Martin Island in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar has been prohibited. As a result, tourist ships will not operate either. The ban on tourist visits has sparked various discussions, and questions are being raised about what will happen to the island, which spans an area of only eight square kilometers. 

Md. Jamir Uddin, Deputy Director of the Department of Environment in Cox's Bazar, confirmed the news to  Prothom Alo , stating that from midnight Friday, the movement of tourist vessels to Saint Martin has been halted. He also mentioned that strict surveillance would be maintained to ensure no unauthorized visits to the island. Additionally, an online meeting is scheduled for February 2 to determine the necessary steps for managing the situation concerning Saint Martin. 

Following discussions with multiple officials from the district administration and the Department of Environment, it has been revealed that a month-long program will be initiated to safeguard the island during the tourist ban. The program will focus on cleaning the island, producing drinking water, and generating electricity from waste. Efforts will also be made to raise awareness among the local community about the preservation of biodiversity. 

Mohammad Salahuddin, the Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar, stated that the program will begin on February 10. As part of this, alternative livelihoods will be provided to local residents who are being affected by the tourism shutdown. 

In the past two months, nearly 120,000 tourists visited Saint Martin, entering the island after registering online and obtaining a travel pass. In December and January 2023, up to 2,000 tourists were allowed to stay overnight on the island. However, after November, visitors were required to return the same day. 

Discussions are also ongoing about the financial impact of the tourist ban. Local business owners argue that halting tourism will deprive them of their income, but environmentalists believe that this will protect the island's ecosystem and biodiversity. 

To protect the island's biodiversity, the Department of Environment declared Saint Martin as an ecologically critical area in 1999. On January 4, 2023, a 1,743 square kilometer area of the Bay of Bengal was designated as a protected zone. The first effort to control tourism was made in 2020. 

Abu Morshed Chowdhury, President of the Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that before taking measures to protect Saint Martin, discussions should have been held with the island’s residents, civil society, and environmental groups. He noted that many illegal hotels, resorts, and buildings have been constructed on the island, which are harmful to the environment. 

Environmentalists suggest that the reduction in tourists has already led to positive changes in the island’s environment, such as a halt in coral collection and the protection of nesting grounds for sea turtles. 

It is hoped that this initiative will ensure the long-term preservation of Saint Martin's biodiversity and lead to sustainable environmental improvements on the island.