St. Martin is the country's only coral island. There is such beauty hidden in every nook and cranny of the island that people who are thirsty for travel are in awe. But the interim government took various decisions to protect the island's environment soon after taking charge. Due to these decisions, tourists could not go to St. Martin on time. Finally, the long wait is going to end.
Tourist ship service from Cox's Bazar to St. Martin is starting from Thursday (November 28). However, according to the ministry's decision, more than 2,000 tourists will not be able to travel. The ban will also be in force for overnight stays.
Nilufa Yasmin Chowdhury, convener of the committee formed to control uncontrolled tourism on St. Martin's Island and determine the departure point for ships bound for St. Martin, and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Cox's Bazar Sadar, told Barta24.com, "The first meeting of the committee to control uncontrolled tourism on St. Martin's Island and determine the departure point for ships was held on Tuesday at the conference room of the Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Parishad. After reviewing the overall issues including the environment with the committee members in the meeting, the BIWTA ghat in Nuniarachara, Cox's Bazar town, was selected to determine the departure point for ships."
"However, according to the ministry's decision, more than 2,000 tourists will not be able to travel to the island. In addition, the ban on staying overnight on the island will remain in force in November and February. However, tourists will be able to stay overnight on the island in December and January," UNO Nilufa added.
Earlier, on Monday, the district administration granted permission to a ship named Carey Sindabad to operate a tourist ship following an application to the Deputy Commissioner.
Cox's Bazar Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Nizam Uddin Ahmed told Barta24.com that Carey Sindabad had applied to the Deputy Commissioner for the operation of a tourist ship. After scrutiny, they gave permission for the ship to leave Cox's Bazar.
It is worth noting that on November 19, a separate office order signed by Sabrina Rahman, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, formed a committee to control tourism in St. Martin's island and at the same time gave some guidelines on the operation of ships from Cox's Bazar to the country's only coral island.
The six-member committee includes the Executive Officers of Teknaf and Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila, the Cox's Bazar representative of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism or the Tourism Board, the Cox's Bazar representative of the Inland Water Transport Authority, the Cox's Bazar representative of the Coast Guard, the Tourist Police-Cox's Bazar representative and the Deputy Director of the Department of Environment-Cox's Bazar Office.
The committee's terms of reference state that before boarding a ship bound for St. Martin, tourists will have to register at the ship's disembarcation point, i.e. at the entry point, and obtain a travel pass through an app developed by the Bangladesh Tourism Board.
The committee will ensure that tourists with travel pass travel on approved ships. The transportation of banned polythene bags and single-use plastic products on tourists and approved ships has been banned. The committee will be strict in this regard.
The hotel where tourists stay after reaching St. Martin's Island will be recorded and stored in a register. Billboards will be installed at the ship departure point and the entry point of St. Martin's on the dos and don'ts for tourists. The Cox's Bazar office of the Department of Environment will coordinate the overall issues and communication. The committee can increase its members if necessary to facilitate its work.
Meanwhile, five new members have been included in the Tourism Control Committee to facilitate its work. The new members are the president of the ship owners' association operating on the island, the president of the St. Martin Hotel Owners' Association, the OC of Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police Station, the president of the Cox's Bazar Tour Operators Association (CTOA) and the president of the Cox's Bazar Press Club.
Confirming the matter, the convener of the committee and Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Nilufa Yasmin Chowdhury said, "We have determined the wharf for shipping in Cox's Bazar town in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change regarding tourist travel and shipping on St. Martin's Island." At the same time, five new members have been included in the committee to facilitate its work